Traffic to be diverted onto temporary bridges at Ferrymead
Friday 20 April 2012, 12:54PM
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Motorists travelling to and from Sumner will be diverted onto temporary bridges at Ferrymead from the end of June.
Work began this week building the approaches to the two-lane bridges which flank either side of the existing Ferrymead Bridge.
“The existing bridge was being strengthened and widened when the February 2011 earthquake struck, causing significant damage to the existing structure and liquefaction in the riverbed,” says Christchurch City Council Transport and Greenspace Manager Alan Beuzenberg.
“Council has subsequently agreed to demolish the existing bridge and build a new bridge which will meet 100 per cent of the new building standard.”
He says the temporary bridges will carry two lanes of traffic in a single direction and each will have a shared pedestrian and cycle lane.
“Each bridge has been designed to support machinery weighing up to 150 tonnes.”
Traffic heading east to Sumner will travel over the bridge closest to the estuary and traffic heading into the city, on the bridge closest to the Port Hills. The bridges will have a 20 km/h speed limit.
Mr Beuzenberg says from the end of June, traffic from Bridle Path and St Andrews Hill Road will be unable to turn right at the bridge towards Sumner; however, alternative directions for this traffic will be provided.
