The bridge closure forced traffic to take long detours, but Oreti Community Board chairwoman Margie Ruddenklau said the resilient Dipton community had quickly pulled together to find a solution.
Official detour options included travelling an additional 67km through Lumsden or 48km via Centre Bush, South Hillend-Dipton Rd.
To ease the disruption, a farmer and members of the community had created two temporary bypasses through private property to be used only by emergency services and community members.
The two temporary access points have restored the vital link.
‘‘Now the community’ is just getting on with it,’’ she said.
‘‘The kids are walking across the [foot] bridge catching the bus and coming back across it.’’
Dipton’s geographical layout made it ‘‘an unusual wee community’’ — the former railway track went down the middle between east Dipton and then they put the school over the other side of the river in West Dipton.
State Highway6 also passed through the centre of the township.
However, the bridge was used to connect west-bound traffic, going via Castle Rock Rd, to Mossburn and Te Anau.
Southland District Mayor Rob Scott gave the unnamed crossing its new moniker of ‘‘conundrum bridge’’ after the decision to close the link between west and east Dipton left the community split in two — with volunteer fire brigade members on one side and the station on the other.
‘‘It’s a very small bridge, but very important for connecting the two halves of this community together.’’
Specific civil engineering requirements left no option other than to close the link while the ageing 84-year-old structure was replaced.
Mrs Ruddenklau proposed the Oreti Community Board’s April meeting be held in the township to allow its members the opportunity to have a look at the work.
The temporary emergency access route had already been used once by the Dipton Volunteer Fire Brigade to get the engine across, she said.
- Toni McDonald
