First of three Omokoroa cycleway bridges underway

Above: Work starts on removing the old structure in preparation for the Jess Road cycleway bridge which is part of the Omokoroa to Tauranga Cycleway.

Work has started on building the first of three bridges for the Omokoroa to Tauranga Cycle Trail.

The bridge restores the link across the Jess Road wetland that was lost last year with the closing of the old bridge by the Department of Conservation due to safety concerns.

Jess Road Estuary Group spokesperson Warwick Murray says the group will be delighted to have the new bridge back to restore their access for restoration work.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council project manager Scott Parker says the new bridge will take about four weeks to complete. It will be 2.5m wide and 20m long.

It is being built by HEB Construction, which was awarded a $1.8m contract to build three bridge links across the estuary and wetlands between Omokoroa and Te Puna.

The first bridge will connect Omokoroa Peninsula to Plummers Point, the second is within the Jess Road wetland, and the third will connect the end of Jess Road to the unformed end of Newnham Road.

The three-bridge project is jointly funded by Council's cycleway budget; the New Zealand Transport Agency's (NZTA) urban cycleway programme; an NZTA subsidy; the New Zealand Community Trust and PowerCo.

The entire cycleway route is expected to be completed by the end of December 2018.