The historic Skippers Canyon bridge will be closed for at least three days this month, allowing for $30,000 of repairs to be carried out on the 109-year-old structure.
Yesterday, Queenstown Lakes District Council network operations manager Ian Marshall said the suspension bridge was inspected after a request from a member of the public.
Some of the cross members were found to have shifted and a crack was developing in one of the transoms, Mr Marshall said.
The bridge, which is already subject to a weight restriction, remained safe to cross but the work was needed before the crack developed further.
"We will put scaffolding in place and then, because of the geographical challenge in getting a large transom into the vicinity, it will be flown into place by helicopter and positioned," Mr Marshall said.
There would be some delays for two days beginning February 22 while the scaffolding was put in place.
The bridge would be closed to traffic from February 24 to 26, he said.
The work, which had been approved by the Historic Places Trust, would not be without its challenges, given that the bridge was 93m long and 70m above the river.
It is the second bridge which has undergone inspection in a fortnight.
The council is still examining the 90-year-old Edith Cavell Bridge, which spans the Shotover River at Arthurs Point.
Engineers were called in last month to inspect the one-lane bridge, after flaking concrete was discovered underneath it.
Mr Marshall said it was the first time staff had been able to take a "really close look at it", The damage covered quite an area but was "not significant".
