Simes Bridge

Simes bridge required flood repair work to a bridge abutment relieving slab that had been undermined. In the early hours of 5 March 2026, a measured exercise was undertaken where the road was closed to excavate out the temporary rock fill installed in 2022, the failed abutment and relieving slab, and the installation of a temporary bridge across the damaged western support. This structure maintained local vehicle access while crews undertook reconstruction of the permanent abutment below. The rebuild from the bottom up consisted of installing new concrete footings and rock bolting to strengthen the bridge foundation, new scour protection and replacing the temporary bridge to deliver a complete, more resilient connection for the Whian Whian community.