Repairs to the historic Victoria Bridge in Cambridge could take several weeks, but the bridge is safe, sound and will remain open for the public.
This morning Waipā District Council and engineering consultants Beca reinspected the bridge, which was damaged last night after a car and a van collided on the Cambridge town side. The car went through the side barrier, landing on the reserve land underneath the bridge, while the van remained on the footpath.
The drivers were removed from their vehicles and taken to Waikato Hospital, one with moderate and one with minor injuries.
After Police and emergency services secured the scene, a detour route was established while the bridge was closed and Council staff inspected it for damage.
Fortunately, there was no structural harm, but the pedestrian barriers and timber rails were extensively damaged.
Contractors remained on the site overnight to ensure public safety, and the bridge was re-opened to traffic and pedestrians before daybreak, with temporary side barriers in place and safety monitoring.
Council staff returned to the bridge this morning to confirm the damage.
Group Manager Service Delivery Dawn Inglis said it was an unfortunate incident, and just sheer luck that nobody was seriously hurt. “The barriers will need replacing, but the bridge itself is looking very sound. We’re confident that it is still able to meet the needs of our community, and it was able to reopen in time so caused only minimal disruption to people.
“We will reinstate the barriers and railing to the original standard, but these will need to be sourced and manufactured.”
Inglis said Council had no timeframes or price tag yet for the repair, but it will take at least several weeks. The cost is likely to be in the “tens of thousands”.
When the repairs to the barriers are being done, people should expect some temporary access restrictions, but Council will time these to minimise disruption as best as possible.
The lattice steel bridge, a Heritage New Zealand Category One structure, is an iconic landmark in Cambridge. It was built in 1905 and shipped in pieces from New York, before being taken by train to either side of the river.
