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Repairs to the Taieri River Bridge on State Highway 1 south of Dunedin are expected to be completed by December 18.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Otago and Southland journey manager Nicole Felts said the work, which began in September, had been completed much more quickly and safely because of "the innovative use of the centre barrier to keep crews and moving traffic safely separated".
The temporary centre barrier would be removed today and normal traffic passage would resume soon after, with all the sealing done by December 18, she said.
The work was needed after a serious crash last year when a van loaded with workers was clipped by a tanker on the bridge, badly damaging the safety rail.
A decision was made to bring the bridge’s safety barriers up to a modern safety standard, switching from a combination of concrete posts and pipe to concrete galvanised steel posts and beams, Ms Felts said.
The work would cost about $1.8 million and was being done by a Downer highway maintenance team.
There would be some "minor finishing-off" work on the end terminals of the bridge to complete in the new year, which should take about two weeks and involve minimal delays.