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Building A Bridge For Waiomu

Friday 16 November 2007, 10:59AM

By Thames Coromandel District Council

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Work on Puhoe Creek
Work on Puhoe Creek Credit: infonews.co.nz
Work on Puhoe Creek
Work on Puhoe Creek Credit: Thames Coromandel District Council
Work on Puhoe Creek
Work on Puhoe Creek Credit: Thames Coromandel District Council

COROMANDEL

The big guns were brought out for the construction of a new Thames Coromandel District Council bridge on Pohue Creek Rd in Waiomu.



A crane capable of lifting 200 tonnes was used to lower in the precast concrete beams for the new single lane bridge on Pohue Creek Rd. The bridge replaces a troublesome existing culvert that was washed out by a flood in January 2006 and section of road that was prone to flooding.



“The council had to spend money about every three years maintaining the road around the culvert, which used to wash out all the time,” said TCDC Roading Manager Steve Bremner. “It has been proven to be more economic to have a bridge there than a culvert that needs work all the time. The bridge will also much larger flood flows to pass beneath it. ”



Opus International Consultants designed the bridge and construction has been underway for the last month by Council ' s contractor Downer EDI Works. Environment Waikato will follow up on the work with regrading of the stream bed upstream of the bridge along Pohue Creek. During a storm in 1985 logs created a dam in the hills above the houses. When this breached the large flood broke the river banks and washed away part of a house resulting in a woman being washed out to sea.



Mr Bremner said the bridge was built to last for many decades.



“We don’t build many bridges anymore and it’s been a really interesting process seeing it put together,” said Mr Bremner.