Tuakau Bridge Over Waikato Collapses

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 750, 24 August 1929, Page 1

Tuakau Bridge Over Waikato Collapses

ALL TRAFFIC STOPPED (From Our Oxen Correspondent) PUKEKOHE, Friday. The traffic bridge over the Waikato River at Tuakau, the northern outlet from the Onewhero, Pukekawa, Glenmurray, and Port Waikato districts, commenced to collapse about three o’clock today. A subsidence of four feet in one of the five spans, of 110 feet each, on the southern end, has resulted in the bridge being closed. Workmen were engaged redecking the pavement of the bridge, and the overhead wooden members, when it collapsed. Built some 25 years ago, the bridge is of wood, 700 feet in length, and has five spans. It is 40 feet above the mean-water level. The structure has been deemed unsafe for several years nast. It shook considerably when traffic crossed over. The chairman of the Raglan County Council, Mr. Campbell Johnston; the engineer, Mr. K. M. Wright; and members of the Onewhero, Pukekawa, and Port Waikato ridings inspected the structure this afternoon. In the meantime, cream, mails, and vehicular traffic will be ferried across the river, which is now carrying a heavy flood. The paddle steamer Manuwai, and a barge, arrived on the scene at a late hour this afternoon, and ( bore traffic from one bank to the other. A number of farmers and others elected to wait until tomorrow before crossing. It is stated that vehicles are embarking at Tuakau Beach, and are being transported upstream for about a mile to reach the only suitable landing place. Settlers in the district south of the river have an outlet through Glenmurray and over the bridge to Rangiriri. Portions of the road, however, are only clay-surfaced, and may be difficult to negotiate until dry. The bridge carries the telephone wires to the rural districts over the river, but telephonic communication has not been interrupted. The bridge is owned and maintained by the Raglan County Council. It is thought that, if repairs will suffice, the bridge will be reopened to traffic within the space of from two to three months.. The site of a proposed new bridge is on the upstream side of the present structure. A comprehensive examination has not been made yet, consequently the full extent of the damage cannot be ascertained. The engineer says it will be difficult to effect repairs, and estimated a new bridge would cost £20,000.