The bridge lies on State Highway 60, the main route from Wanaka to Hawea and the West Coast.
Hawea resident Ken Domonkos said traffic at the bridge was "diabolical" and believed it would only get worse as the Timsfield and Centennial Park subdivisions in Hawea continued to be developed.
"It's ridiculous having a one-way bridge on a main highway."
"[The congestion] is just ridiculous, especially at Christmas and New Year."
Albert Town community association chairman Jim Cowie echoed Mr Domonkos' concerns.
"The pressure on the whole stretch of road and the bridge in particular is going to be extremely noticeable in the next two or three years, I would suggest."
The association made submissions on the Queenstown Lakes District Council's draft 10-year plan for the council to lobby the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) for a replacement two-lane bridge.
"I appreciate it's an NZTA issue, first and foremost, but I think council have a responsibility to be jumping up and down and continually drawing it the attention of NZTA, the same as they did with the Kawarau Bridge at Frankton, until they got some response from government," Mr Cowie said.
QLDC deputy mayor Calum MacLeod said while a complete upgrade was unlikely in the near future, traffic lights could soon be installed, similar to those at the Beaumont Bridge on SH8.
"[Traffic lights] are definitely on [NZTA's] radar," he said.
NZTA spokeswoman Frances Adank said although the installation of lights had been discussed in the past, nothing was planned for the bridge in NZTA's draft investment proposal for the next 10 years.
