Council reluctant to take old bridge

The Beaumont Bridge, framed with scaffolding. Photo: ODT files
The Beaumont Bridge, framed with scaffolding. Photo: ODT files
The Clutha District Council is not keen to take the ageing Beaumont Bridge off the hands of the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA).

The council yesterday discussed an NZTA proposal seeking support for the construction of a new bridge to replace the current span  on State Highway 8 at Beaumont.

Opus, the consultancy firm that wrote a business plan for NZTA, proposed a new two-lane bridge which curved downstream of the existing bridge and connected State Highway 8 in front of the Beaumont Hotel.

NZTA projects team leader Simon Underwood said at the meeting  consultation with Beaumont residents showed clear support to keep the highway in front of the hotel rather than shifting the highway behind it.

While the council supported  the proposal for a new bridge, it was less enthusiastic about obtaining the existing bridge for its own purposes.

Cr John Cochrane said he did not think the council wanted the bridge.

When discussing what information the council would need to determine the bridge’s future, Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said he wanted to know why the council would want to "pick it up". It was not something he wanted the council to obtain.

"The information I want is what it would take to change my mind."

He said there were two things he was happy about every time he saw the Beaumont Bridge.

"One is that you [NZTA] own it, and that we [the council] don’t ... I’m really pleased it’s not on our books."

In a letter to the council, Opus project manager Natalie Veal said the 130-year-old bridge was listed as a historic structure in the council’s register of heritage buildings.

This raised questions about what this meant in terms of the bridge’s future worth.Cr Bruce Vollweiler wanted an assessment of the bridge to determine what cost there would be in ongoing maintenance and in upgrading or repairing it.

Cr Bruce Graham also expressed his concern about the condition the bridge was in.

"I think we need to know whether we’re going to get a bridge or some landscape material."

The agenda stated it was uncertain what costs were associated with its potential retention and whose responsibility this would be.

Cr Stew Cowie wanted to know if the council was the only party being considered to take it over or  were there other entities the NZTA was considering.

Mr Underwood said there was no obligation on any one party to maintain the bridge.

The council supported, in concept, the positioning of the proposed new bridge and the associated realignment of State Highway 8.

It also agreed to support the proposed changes to the existing roading infrastructure, while final technical designs would be approved by council staff.

No further action was taken on what the council would do or what information it wanted in relation to the future of the existing Beaumont Bridge.

samuel.white@odt.co.nz

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