Collaboration mooted for bridge plan

An artist's impression shows a possible solution to a Kawarau Falls replacement bridge, which...
An artist's impression shows a possible solution to a Kawarau Falls replacement bridge, which links Kelvin Heights and Frankton via State Highway 6. The existing bridge can be seen to the left of the picture. Photo supplied.
A new national land transport programme which could accelerate the construction of a two-lane replacement bridge at Kawarau Falls in Queenstown is under consideration.

The process for developing the programme is being considered at regional level, with the Otago Regional Transport Committee putting forward a submission to the New Zealand Transport Agency advocating a collaborative approach with the Southland Regional Transport Committee regarding replacing the bridge.

There are congestion issues with the present one-lane bridge which is on State Highway 6 and therefore a replacement is eligible for full funding from the Government.

The replacement would cost $17 million and construction has been identified as a regional priority in the Otago Regional Council's transport strategy.

It is hoped a collaborative approach will result in an earlier date of construction than the original 2016-17 date.

In a letter pending approval from the Queenstown Lakes District Council infrastructure and services committee to be sent to the Southland Regional Council, committee chairman Lyal Cocks said the council supported the proposed collaboration.

In the letter, Mr Cocks said the "current one-way bridge created a risk to the development of the Queenstown-Milford tourist route" and bridge failure would be "catastrophic".

The committee would discuss the proposed collaboration at its meeting next Tuesday.

QLDC transport manager Denis Mander said the council had been advocating for a new bridge for several years.

"We will be reiterating that the replacement bridge is important to the Queenstown community," he said yesterday.

"From a narrow Queenstown perspective it is important for tourism and linking different parts of the Queenstown community, like Kelvin Heights.

"The submission talks about the importance of the bridge to Southland as well."

A report prepared for next week's infrastructure and services committee meeting said the council supported the Otago Land Transport Programme since it "mirrors the council's long term plan in so far as council's proposed transport expenditure for the next three years".

Despite the perceived importance of the bridge, the report noted a replacement "in the foreseeable future is not a done deal".

Southland Regional Council transport policy analyst Russell Hawkes said although the respective chairs of the Southland and QLDC transport committees had discussed the collaboration, he could not say whether Southland supported the idea.

"Submissions for the programme close today and the regional transport committee has not seen the submissions," he said yesterday.

He said the QLDC transport programme was released after Southland's committee had met "and so we have not had the opportunity to discuss it".

However, he could confirm that the inter-regional link was of importance because of tourism potential.

"The bridge is of importance because it is on State Highway 6 which, being a connection, is of importance for tourism."

Submissions on the Southland regional land transport programme closed at 4pm yesterday and submissions on the QLDC programme close on May 4.

Following the adoption of regional transport programmes, a national land transport programme will be produced and will take effect on July 1 and remain in place until June 30, 2015.

The national programme will effectively determine how much funding regional transport authorities receive.

 

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