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Some work has been done on a busy one-lane bridge that connects Mangawhai to the settlement of Hakaru and Kaiwaka after a review was done before Christmas.
Located along Mangawhai-Kaiwaka Road by Settlement Road turnoff, Hakaru Bridge, which has been lined with orange roading sticks since 2021, was briefly closed last month to allow a Kaipara District Council (KDC) roading team to carry out structure and pavement assessments.
The investigation highlighted several sections requiring attention, a KDC spokesperson says, and confirms repairs have been completed to the deck joints, approaches and potholes. Further routine maintenance is scheduled for some time this year.
“Council is conscious that the bridge sees a high volume of traffic and making it more resilient is important. However, there is no funding allocated in the current Long-Term Plan for upgrading the bridge, but it may be considered in the next one.”
Meanwhile, around the corner on Settlement Road, the much-anticipated preliminary works to start tar-sealing have finally begun. The road’s current surface, from the turn-off at Mangawhai-Kaiwaka Road to Valley Road, has been a patchwork of metal and seal for many years and, as any resident who lives along a rural gravel street knows, dust from increasing volumes of traffic is an ongoing issue.
“Seal extensions for 1.1 kilometres of Devich Road and 0.3km of Settlement Road are on track to finish by the end of March,” the KDC spokesperson says. “Enabling works on Settlement Road have nearly been completed and then the team will move to Devich Road to work on drainage, crossfall and localised soft spot removal.”
At this stage, the Settlement Road sealing programme is only for the 300 metres between Hakaru Hall and Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road. A further stretch up to Valley Road Bridge, which includes a corner with recurring multiple potholes that cause travellers to drive close to the other side of the road to avoid, is not part of the current resealing project.
Answers to the Focus’ queries regarding whether this section will be scheduled for sealing in the near future were not received by publishing time.
