Wairau River Bridge, SH1

Last Modified: 10-11-2020 18:32

The bridge over the Wairau River on State Highway 1 near Tuamarina is a concrete structure completed in 1965. As part of the main highway running the length of the North and South Islands, the bridge is a crucial piece of infrastructure necessary to maintain movement of freight and light vehicles up and down the length of New Zealand.

The current bridge has been assessed to pose an earthquake risk, as well as being at risk from severe floods. The bridge was constructed with a design life of 100 years, however modern freight vehicles have a much higher weight than was anticipated at the time of construction, considerably reducing the expected lifespan of the bridge. As of 2015, the New Zealand goverment through the New Zealand Transport Agency announced plans to investigate options to strengthen or replace this vital bridge.

Cite this page

Wairau River Bridge, SH1. (2020) Retrieved April, 25, 2024, from https://www.marlboroughonline.co.nz/marlborough/information/archictecture/bridges/wairau-river-sh1/