Full Pekatahi Bridge Closure Scheduled for July School Holidays

Friday, June 5, 2026 at 11:49 AM

By Imogen Brophy

NZTA said the Pekatahi Bridge will be closed for six days during the July school holidays to complete maintenance on the bridge surface.

After April maintenance was cancelled due to Cylcone Vaianu, NZTA have scheduled maintenance for the Pekatahi Bridge during July.

The bridge will be completely closed from Saturday July 4th until midday Thursday July 9th.

NZTA said the full closure aligns with the school holidays to reduce disruption to school travel and regular journeys.

It said a full closure is needed to allow crews to complete more work at once, rather than smaller projects causing frequent disruption.

Crews will be removing timber wearing boards, installing new transition treatments at each end of the bridge and repairing damaged side rails.

"Once complete, drivers may notice a slightly different surface at the bridge approaches.

"The work is designed to provide a smoother and more reliable crossing than the current deck."

During the closure, a detour will be in place for all vehicles, including emergency services. freight, and High Productivity Motor Vehicles.

Northbound and southbound traffic will detour via Tāneatua Road, Valley Road, Arawa Road, Hinemoa Street and State Highway 30 through Awakeri.

The detour is expected to add up to 20 minutes to travel times.

NZTA said teams are working closely with the Whakatāne District Council to enable the use of local roads for the detour.

We’re committed to keeping the Eastern Bay informed with accurate, timely coverage.
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