Bridge victory claimed

An artist's impression of  the proposed new Kawarau Falls bridge. Image supplied.
An artist's impression of the proposed new Kawarau Falls bridge. Image supplied.

Proponents of an alternative location for replacing the Kawarau Falls Bridge near Queenstown are claiming victory after a council decision on Thursday.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council approved a transfer of land to the Crown to allow the construction of the new bridge immediately downstream from the existing bridge.

But lobbying from a group of Queenstown residents - who favour a site running off Boyd Rd about 1.5km to the east - has prompted councillors to ask the New Zealand Transport Agency to review the analysis it used to justify the location of the new bridge.

Group member and former district councillor Kirsty Sharpe said they were ''delighted'' at the outcome, and expected the agency to undertake a ''thorough review of all the options for siting the bridge replacement, and consider benefits rather than just costings''.

Work on the $25 million, 250m-long curved bridge is expected to start late this year, with an opening set for early 2017.

It was given priority by the National Government in an election pledge last June.

Speaking at the council meeting's public forum, Kerry Dunlop said the agency's decision to build the new bridge next to the old one had been made in 2003 and was ''out of date''.

The group's preferred location would connect with the eastern arterial road, reducing congestion at the Frankton and airport roundabouts.

Although halting the current project would cause a delay, it was ''better to delay than to regret.''

Mrs Sharpe told councillors that rising traffic volumes between the existing bridge and the Frankton roundabout was ''cutting Frankton in half'', and building the new bridge in the same place would make the situation worse.

The agency's choice of location pre-dated the growth of the Remarkables Park shopping area, the building of Remarkables Primary School, the relocation of Wakatipu High School to Frankton, commercial development along the Frankton-Ladies Mile Highway and record passenger growth through Queenstown Airport.

Councillor Cath Gilmour said the Boyd Rd option was ''common sense'', and would avoid ''splitting Frankton in half on a hell of a busy road''.

Deputy mayor Lyal Cocks warned against a ''knee-jerk reaction'' based solely on the location of the new bridge.

Other projects, such as the eastern access road and the draft regional transport plan, would have an impact on traffic volumes in the area.

guy.williams@odt.co.nz

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