The popular North Otago coast road between Kakanui and Waianakarua will be closed, traffic having to take a detour while a single-lane wooden bridge across Bow Alley Creek is replaced.
The detour will be in place from tomorrow until December 20 while the wooden bridge, which has reached the end of its economic life and carries a weight restriction, is partially dismantled and a relocatable bridge built over the top, a $232,000 project.
Notices of the detour along Bowalley and Woodburn Rds will be put up at the SH1 turn-off at Waianakarua and on the coast road.
Residents along the two detour roads have been notified.
Waitaki District Council roading manager Michael Voss said the idea of a relocatable bridge was because of coastal erosion along Waianakarua Rd.
Part of the road is already single-lane and coastal erosion continues to threaten other sections.
If the road was ever closed, the bridge could be used elsewhere - ''or we would have a bridge to nowhere''.
Leaving part of the old wooden bridge in place meant it could be used if the road was closed but a cycle track was put in place.
Timber in the wooden bridge has deteriorated and the abutments undermined.
The relocatable bridge will have new abutments and a significant rise from the road level up on to it.
