TAUERU BRIDGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 July 1938, Page 7

TAUERU BRIDGE

STRUCTURE TO BE REPLACED. COST ESTIMATED AT £9,388. According to a report by the engineers (Messrs Seaton, Sladden and Pavitt), submitted to yesterday’s meeting of the Masterton County Council, the estimated cost of replacing the existing bridge over the Taueru River at Weraiti was £9,388. The overseer (Mr B. L. Larson) recently reported that the bridge was in a 'dangerous condition and required immediate attention. In their report, the engineers stated that from a preliminary examination it would be necessary to replace the existing bridge with a reinforced concrete continuous girder bridge of four spans of 60 feet. The proposed site of the new bridge was upstream of the present bridge on a line which would eliminate the rather awkward approaches to the present structure. It was proposed to raise the deck level of the new bridge 3 or 4 feet above the deck level of the old bridge. The estimated cost of the new bridge was: Bridge, £7200; approaches, £945; fencing and altering old bridge for traffic, £233; clerk of works and engineering, £710; contingencies, £300; total, £9,388. Certain urgent repairs to the old bridge were recommended and when completed it was urged that loads should be restricted to 6J tons. The District Engineer, Public Works Department, advised that the council’s special report on the condition of the Taueru bridge at Weraiti had been noted and provision made on the current Highways estimates for a subsidy of £5OO, £3 for £1 on account, towards the cost of renewing the bridge. On the motion of Councillor G. Moore, it was decided that the deck level of the new structure be raised 8 feet above the level of the existing bridge. The suggested load restriction on the old bridge was also adopted.