NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi has opened the bidding for a project to improve the resilience of the Haast bridge on State Highway 6.
The bridge connects a 140km journey between Haast and Wānaka, and it is a critical tourism link to the glaciers on the West Coast from Queenstown.
Much of the work set to take place will be around the rock and concrete river protection at the toe of the slope, which has been in place since 1980.
It has been repaired and replaced several times due to weather events including Cyclone Fehi in 2018 which resulted in significant degradation of the rock and concrete erosion protection immediately upstream of the Gates of Haast bridge.
An NZTA spokesperson said several sections of the riverbank continued to fall into the river, making improvements necessary to enhance the resilience of the Haast bridge pier and abutment, the support structure at the end of the bridge.
The improvements would be focused on scour protection, which refers to measures put in place to protect against the erosion of soil around underwater structures such as bridges.
The work would include deconstructing existing protection, new rock work, and several other structural elements.
Notice of the detailed work was published last month and NZTA has now opened the bidding for potential contractors.
There is no timeline for the proposed works. However, the agency is looking to start construction later this year.
