Pekatahi Bridge on State Highway 2 (SH2) will close for 6 days, from Saturday 4 July to midday Thursday 9 July.

The bridge will be closed 24 hours a day during this time and is expected to reopen by midday on Thursday 9 July.

This timing aligns with the school holidays to reduce disruption, when there are fewer vehicles on the road and less impact on school travel and regular journeys.

Crews will complete maintenance to improve the bridge surface and keep it safe and reliable. This includes:

• Removing the timber wearing boards.
• Installing new transition treatments at each end of the bridge.
• 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.

Closing the bridge allows crews to complete a larger package of work in one go, rather than carrying out frequent smaller repairs that cause repeated disruption.

There will be no access across the bridge during the closure, including for emergency services.

A detour will be in place for all traffic, including 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.

We’re working closely with Whakatāne District Council to enable the use of local roads for the detour.

Thank you to the community, freight operators and all road users for your patience while this important work is carried out.