Waipa residents urged to take alternative route

26 August 2011

People are being urged to take alternative routes to get to Cambridge/Leamington where possible as at peak times the closure of Victoria Bridge is causing delays and heavy traffic volumes on State Highway 1.

Service Delivery Manager Barry Bergin said while the council was working on resolving as many of the traffic management issues as possible there were some actions people could take to ease the pressure on the State Highway Network around Cambridge's low-level bridge.

There was the ability to use Kaipaki/Mystery Creek Road for travellers heading north from Leamington while those heading south could use the crossing over the Karapiro dam.

People travelling to Leamington from the north could exit State Highway 1 at Tamahere and follow the Mystery Creek Road route.

Another option for Leamington people wanting to visit the Cambridge central business district was to use the bus which would also help relieve traffic congestion.

We appreciate people are frustrated due to the traffic issues that have been caused by the bridge closure however we have had to act in the interest of public safety, said Mr Bergin.

Further investigations are underway at the bridge site and an update will be issued on Monday.