Daytime closures of Albert Town Bridge on State Highway 6, near Wānaka, are finishing up early, with closures scheduled for the rest of the week no longer needed.

The daily closures that started last week were to allow work on local wastewater infrastructure by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC). QLDC says its crews have finished the major works early, and after the bridge reopens today at 5.30pm, it will remain open with no further planned closures.

Because there is still some work to do, the bridge and extended sections of road on both sides will operate under a single lane of traffic and people will be required to stop on demand.

Road users are thanked for their patience while the closures were in place, and while the remaining work is completed.

29 July 2026 – Central Otago bridge closures for wastewater upgrade

Daytime closures will be required for Albert Town Bridge on State Highway 6, near Wānaka, from next week as the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) embarks on the latest phase of its upgrades to local wastewater infrastructure.

To allow work on a wastewater pipe installation, the bridge is scheduled to be closed in both directions on weekdays, between 9am and 5.30pm, from Monday 3 August to Friday 14 August, 2026. A detour will be in place during these closure times, via State Highways 6 and 8A, across Luggate Red Bridge, Kane Road, Gladstone Road, and Camphill Road (see map below).

QLDC says its crews need to connect a new seismic-resilient pipe beneath Albert Town Bridge to the main wastewater pipeline. This involves digging trenches at the bridge entrances and exits and connecting the pipe to the bridge structure. Due to limited space within the road corridor, a full bridge closure is required.

Traffic lights at the Albert Town Bridge will be manually operated before and after the daily bridge closures to help traffic move efficiently during peak travel periods. During the closures, traffic light sequencing on Luggate Red Bridge will be modified by New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) as needed to help manage detour traffic and minimise delays.

Those who are using the detour during these daytime closures are urged to allow extra time for their travel. QLDC acknowledges this is a significant disruption and appreciates the patience of road users.