Little Wanganui River Bridge.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 August 1921, Page 3

Little Wanganui River Bridge.

, TENDERS CLOSE THIS MONTH. The plans and specifications for the •Little Wanganui bridge on the main South road are now out for the information of intending contractors, and may be seen at the Chief Post Office. Hokitika. The bridge site is fixed about 35 chains above the present ford. The proposed bridge will consist of six s pans each of 61 feet and will be of tinker pile, piers and abutments. The bridge is of a truss design similar to that spanning the Big Wanganui river All hardwood timber and piles and the tension rods for the bridge will be supplied by the Department, and delivery of same will be taken at" Greymouth where the supplies are now stored.'All New Zealand timber for the bridge will lie delivered to the contractor stacked at the bridge site. With the material thus provided practically ready to bail' the erection of this urgently required (bridge should proceed apace once tender is accepted. In order to provide as early ns possible for the convenience of traffic crossing the Little Wanganui river, the work of erection is to be carried out m a special manner. The two .(pans on the north side of the river are first to be completely finished and opened for traffic. The Public Works Department will then construct a temporary graded structure from the bridge to th“ river bed so that the main channel of the. river can be crossed in hood. After completing the two spans as just note the contractor shall commence at th south end of the proposed structure, and proceed to complete the bridge from that end, from which four spans ’v are to lie built. Before the final olinking up span is completed the Department will remove the temporary approach, and leave the s’te clear for the contractor to expedite the completion. of the work. Tenders for the work close on t*>e 25th. inst., a fortnight hence, and if a tender i,s promptly accepted, and the initial work pushed on, the first portion of the bridge should be a vailalile for the summer traffic south. This would l>e a very pleasing result of the long drawn agitation for the erection of this urgently required bridge.