Bridge inspections and testing will take place over three nights to minimise daily disruption
Light vehicles must use a 20-minute detour route while the bridge is closed overnight
Heavy vehicles will be piloted through the closed site each hour during the night
The Aparima Bridge on State Highway 99 in Riverton will be closed to all traffic overnight from 10pm to 5am on 19, 20 and 21 May. The closures are part of scheduled bridge inspections and concrete testing.
According to the team managing the work, these night-time hours have been chosen specifically to “minimise disruption to traffic and the community as much as possible.”
During the closures, light vehicles will be detoured via Riverton-Otautau Road, Centre Road, Ward Road and Longwood Road. This detour is expected to add approximately 20 minutes to travel times. Heavy and high-productivity vehicles (HPMVs) will not be detoured but will instead be stacked and piloted through the site on the hour, every hour.
Elsewhere in the Southland region, Highways South teams will be operating under temporary traffic controls and speed limits this week. The locations include:
- SH1 Bluff Highway at Awarua and near Bayview Road
- SH1 Waipahi Highway near Pukerau
- SH6 Five Rivers–Lumsden Highway at Five Rivers
- SH6 Garston–Athol Highway between Nokomai and Garston
- SH94 Waimea Highway near Monaghan Road
- SH99 Lorneville, with a full eastbound road closure from Steel Road to the Lorneville roundabout. This closure runs 24/7 from Sunday 11 to Friday 16 May. Drivers are advised to detour via Steel Road and Moore Road.
In addition, mobile roadmarking operations are taking place overnight on SH1 in Invercargill, and during the day on SH94 between Lumsden and Gore, Lumsden and Te Anau, and Te Anau to Manapouri.
Third-party works are also causing temporary traffic management, including a stop/go system on SH1 East Road in Invercargill due to power pole maintenance.
Drivers can check the latest updates and potential impacts on freight by visiting the NZTA Journeys website or consulting the Freight Impact Register.