Pedestrians will have a chance to beat the rush hour on State Highway 8 later this month, as a new bridge opens for public inspection.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will hold a walk-through of the new Beaumont Bridge on July 30, before it opens to traffic in early August.
Construction of the $25 million 195m bridge began in 2021.
It will open to traffic with a temporary concrete surface so work can start on converting the former Beaumont Bridge into a cycleway.
Waka Kotahi said the opening of the bridge for use was the culmination of 20 months’ hard work from lead contractor HEB Construction, and was "great news" for locals and other Otago road users.
"The bridge is a safe and modern successor to the existing cast-iron single-lane bridge built in 1887 that’s no longer suited to today’s higher traffic volumes including heavier trucks.
"Switching traffic from the old to new bridge allows a start on converting the old bridge to a walking and cycling link to the nearby Clutha Gold Cycle rail [trail].
"Before this happens, people have an opportunity to walk across this impressive new 195m-long bridge."
Those wishing to walk the bridge should meet at the Beaumont Hotel from noon to 2pm on July 30, where a short briefing would occur before access was provided.
Waka Kotahi said the event was not a formal bridge-opening ceremony.
This would occur in early December, following completion of landscaping, road surfacing and cycleway conversion of the former bridge.