False claims over condition of high level bridge addressed

Waipā District Council has addressed a number of inaccurate claims made on Facebook about the condition of the Victoria Bridge in Cambridge.

The claims, which refer to three Council reports on the condition of the high level bridge supplied under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, make inaccurate assumptions about the condition of the bridge pins, deck and its supporting structure.

Council says those claims have the potential to cause widespread and unnecessary alarm within the community.

Council transportation manager Bryan Hudson said it was important to make it clear, the overall condition of the bridge had been assessed across the reports as being in fair to good condition.

“Council has, over the years, had some very expert bridge specialists inspect and give advice on the prudent and safe maintenance of the Victoria Bridge. The current detailed investigations are an example of this.

“Bridge engineers have viewed all of the inspection data and have not raised any issues that need immediate attention. We have no concerns about the safety of the bridge and nor should Cambridge residents.”

Hudson said the information and images that had been pulled out of the reports and the assumptions made about them created a false picture of the bridge and its safety.

“Instead of taking to Facebook and sharing incorrect information, we would much rather have residents call Council and speak to us directly about any concerns they have regarding the bridge.”

Hudson said rust and corrosion, which were the basis of several of the claims, were expected due to the length of time since the bridge was last painted.

“The level of corrosion present today is not significantly changed from that present in 1996. The 1998-99 repair work added significant extra steel strengthening plates around the central pins.

“The bridge was repainted after those repair works and the paint system now is coming to the end of its life, meaning some surface corrosion is showing up again as is usual for structures of this type and age.”

A major paint and repair project is planned for 2022-2023 during which time, any areas highlighted in the report will be addressed. It is expected to cost around $2.5-3 million to complete.

Hudson said a final report which would inspect and analyse the condition of the bridge deck had also been commissioned and would be carried out in the coming months.

“Further investigations are to be made into the condition of the deck including drilling out some small cores for examination and exposing reinforcing steel to check on condition. We do not have any immediate concerns about the deck but recognise it as a long-term issue to address.”

All investigations on the condition of the bridge will be finalised by June 2021. Once complete, the results and subsequent recommendations for maintenance will be made publicly available.