Motorists will have limited overnight access across the single lane Kawarau Falls Bridge on State Highway 6 between Frankton and Kelvin Heights near Queenstown from next Sunday night 11 July 2010.
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) says the delays will be for two weeks to allow a continuation of repair works to the bridge that started about a month ago. The partial closures, from Sunday night to Friday mornings, will be between 11 pm and 6am. Traffic will only be allowed across the bridge for a 10 minute period each hour on the hour between these times.
NZTA Area Manager John Jarvis says access will be provided for emergency services at all times and the footbridge for pedestrians will remain open. Motorists need to take care crossing the bridge at all times because of the uneven timber surface.
“The work is part of an ongoing structural maintenance programme on the 84-year-old bridge. Once finished drivers should notice a smoother ride across the bridge and less rattle and clatter from the decking”.
Mr Jarvis says the work is being carried out over night to minimise disruption to road users and this is the reason why no work is being carried out on Friday and Saturday nights.
The work should be completed by Monday 26 July 2010.
