Last month’s storm again highlighted just how vulnerable Martinborough and the wider southern Wairarapa become whenever the Waihenga Bridge across the Ruamahanga River on SH53 is forced to close.
For many people, the bridge is the only direct connection between Martinborough, surrounding rural communities and State Highway 2.
Every closure causes disruption, freight is delayed, people face long detours, and access to schools, hospitals, workplaces and emergency services becomes far more difficult.
The bridge was built in 1912 and, while it has been maintained and strengthened over the years by NZTA, it is now more than a century old.
NZTA’s own planning documents have identified concerns around flood and earthquake vulnerability, the narrow width of the bridge, visibility issues, the risk of serious injury and increasing pressure from heavier traffic volumes. Yet despite these known risks, NZTA contend that the bridge has a lifespan of further twenty to thirty years.
In my view, the importance of this bridge to our community and economy cannot be overstated. South Wairarapa has experienced strong growth in tourism, freight and logging traffic over recent years, yet we are still relying on infrastructure that was built for a very different time.
While recent maintenance work may have extended the bridge’s life, I believe we need to start planning seriously for its replacement. We cannot afford to wait until there is a major failure or a serious safety incident before action is taken. This is about resilience, emergency access, public safety and protecting the economic wellbeing of our region.
I and Martinborough ward councillors are now working to strengthen the case for the bridge to be prioritised through the regional and national transport planning process. A key part of that work is gathering local information about the real impact bridge closures have on residents, businesses and emergency services.
I encourage everyone to complete the short survey linked through the attached QR code. The more information we can gather from the community, the stronger the case we can make for action.
We will also shortly be launching a dedicated Facebook page to help build wider community awareness and support for the campaign.
To share your experience, please scan the QR code to complete the survey, or visit haveyoursay.swdc.govt.nz/waihenga-bridge
