The $10.6million project was under budget by $1m and three months ahead of schedule, the Waitaki District Council said.
About 130 people attended a ceremony last week, including Waitaki District Mayor Mel Tavendale, Minister of Building and Construction Chris Penk, Waitaki MP Miles Anderson and mana whenua.
Mrs Tavendale said it was ‘‘fantastic’’ to see the ‘‘massive project’’ come to an end.
‘‘It’s been a long journey.
‘‘To the Kakanui community, council staff, project team, contractors and everyone who contributed their expertise and hard work, thank you all for joining us in the celebration.
‘‘Kakanui is quite literally a community split in two.
‘‘On one side of the river sits the school and a much-loved beach at Campbells Bay, places of learning, recreation and connection.
‘‘On the other side is the Kakanui store, the fire brigade, essential services that support daily life and emergency response.’’
Mrs Tavendale acknowledged Ngāi Tahu and in particular Te Rūnanga o Moeraki, as kaitaki of the whenua and the Kākaunui River — and thanked Mr Penk and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi for the government’s partnership funding role in delivering the new bridge.
The cost of the project was split 57%-43% between the NZTA and the district council, respectively.
The community could be ‘‘proud that the bridge has been delivered on time and under budget, a significant achievement for a project of this scale and complexity’’.
Council project manager Mike Harrison said the construction was three months ahead of schedule and came in under budget, with the final cost set at $10.06m, $1m below the projected cost of $11.06m.
This is the third bridge to be built at the location, with the soon-to-be deconstructed 1899 bridge itself a replacement for the 1871 bridge.
The contract to deconstruct the 1899 bridge was awarded to Weston firm Specialised Services Group.
The deconstruction and removal is due to take place later this year.
