Bridging the gap as Kāeo project nears completion

Traffic restrictions will be in place in Kāeo on Thursday evening (8 February) while the community’s new footbridge spanning the Waikare Creek is lifted into place.

From 7pm, State Highway 10 in the heart of the town will be reduced to one lane, with manual traffic controls in place, allowing a crane to operate from the northbound lane on the existing Waikare Creek road bridge.

From 8pm, the road will be fully closed for around half an hour while the crane swings the new footbridge onto the concrete abutments.

Once that part of the work is complete, the road will return to the one-way system, with the remaining works expected to be completed by about 11pm.

Pedestrians will get their first chance to cross the new structure around mid-morning on Friday 9 February.

There will still be some temporary barriers next to the new footbridge until permanent fencing is completed, with final landscaping to be carried out in the autumn.

The footbridge will be a safer alternative to the busy two-lane Waikare Creek road bridge, particularly for those pedestrians with prams or those in wheelchairs who, until now, have had to negotiate very narrow paths close to highway traffic.

Far North District Council contractor Fulton Hogan is carrying out the $500,000 project and wants to thank the local community for their patience during construction, which started in August last year. The company hopes pedestrians will enjoy using the new footbridge.

Photo: Traffic restrictions will be in place while the new footbridge is installed on Thursday evening.