The Clutha District Council yesterday confirmed a temporary ford allowing tractors, large four-wheel-drives and emergency vehicles to cross the Tuapeka River should be open by the end of this week.
Pedestrian access over the bridge was opened last weekend after a handrail was fitted.
The bridge was closed late last month for repairs originally expected to take three weeks, but the council said the discovery of major rusting in the bridge's steel beams meant the job would take much longer.
It is now not expected to reopen until June 26, leaving residents without regular access for up to 13 weeks.
The bridge, which links Tuapeka Mouth Rd and Tuapeka West Rd at Tuapeka Mouth, is used daily by farmers and others and is a popular thoroughfare between Lawrence and Clydevale.
Tuapeka West residents, on the bridge's northern side, have been cut off from Clydevale and Balclutha and have to make an hour-long trip through Lawrence and Clarksville Junction to get to Balclutha and other places on the other side of the river.
In recent days, the council has been negotiating with the Otago Regional Council and Fish and Game Otago on a temporary access solution.
In a statement yesterday, district assets manager Jules Witt said the ford would be ready "very soon".
"This is the most practical and cost-effective solution to allow at least some vehicle access across the river while the bridge is closed. The council investigated . . . culverts or temporary bridging but found these could . . . cost up to $80,000 and take time to put in place."
The ford would allow tractor, large four-wheel-drive or emergency vehicle access across the river in typical flow conditions, but could not be used when the river was high, he said.
The exact location is yet to be decided - contractors would look at issues of vehicle access, depth of river flow and minimising riverbank disturbance.
It is likely to be about 750m upstream from the bridge.
Tuapeka West resident Avis Rishworth yesterday welcomed the news a ford is to be provided, saying anything that improved access while the community had no bridge was to be applauded.
