The historic Skippers Bridge, near Queenstown, was closed and then reopened by the Queenstown Lakes District Council yesterday afternoon, after concerns were raised by a member of the public.
The council initially advised it had closed the 115-year-old bridge until it was inspected by a structural engineer, but 45 minutes later advised it had been reopened.
‘‘The matter that was raised has been reviewed by the council's consulting bridge engineer and determined to be a minor defect which will be addressed as part of general bridge maintenance.''
The bridge was subject to a routine inspection every two years, with a detailed inspection every six years. Its last load-bearing test was in 2014.
In 2010, the council spent $30,000 on repairs to the bridge after a member of the public asked the council to inspect it.
At that time, some of the structure's cross-members were found to have shifted and a crack was developing in some of the transoms.
