Repairs to a damaged handrail on Dunedin’s Burnside on-ramp bridge/State Highway 1 will require a series of night closures from next week that road users will need to navigate.

From Monday 9 November to Friday 13 November 2026, the bridge is scheduled to be closed from 9pm to 5am daily. The same hours of closure are due to apply from Monday 23 November to Thursday 26 November 2026. When these closures are in effect, a sign-posted detour will be available via Carnforth Street, Neill Street, Abbotsford Road, and the Main South Road on-ramp. The detour is not suitable for heavy or over dimension vehicles, or vehicles over 3.6m due to bridge restrictions. People are encouraged to plan ahead if their usual travel is affected.. 

In between these periods of closure, work will happen on the bridge during the day that will require a temporary speed restriction.

The work on the bridge will include straightening or replacing damaged handrail posts, treating corroded sections, repairing the corroded handrail base, painting and applying a new corrosion-resistant protective coating. Recent inspections found various damage and wear to the handrail.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi thanks people in advance for their patience and understanding while this work is completed.