A reliable source advises that the Waikato District Council Kopua Bridge subcommittee has approved a slim bridge design for the replacement footbridge catering for both walkers and cyclists. In a typical Council quirk, consulting company Aurecon was hired to design a bridge that was 200 mm narrower than Council’s own minimum design standard. Aurecon (formerly Connell Wagner) won the $347,000 tender for the design of a replacement Kopua footbridge in Raglan. Within its price, Aurecon is budgeting about $60,000 for the cost of consents and a further $22,000 for certification.
Council rejected the cheaper option of strengthening the existing bridge. They were told that if $100,000 was spent on strengthening the bridge, it would extend its life by three years. Although the engineer’s report says the bridge is still strong enough to support four people per square metre, the subcommittee was told the current bridge needs to be closed on safety grounds if the new one isn’t built by December.
The design approved by the subcommittee is 2.3 metres wide and 80cm higher than the present bridge and will cost $2.5m to build. It will start at the current concrete path on the Raglan side and cross to the grass (not the causeway) on the other side. The bridge is higher to retain the current shape over the longer span. The railings will be designed to improve safety for cyclists and those jumping off the bridge.
Although the new footbridge width is less than Council’s 2.5 m standard it will be wider than the present bridge and the existing pedestrian/cycle dodgems will be less of a hazard but still a problem. The subcommittee was assured it was wide enough for two cycles or two mobility scooters to pass. The subcommittee decided that if there was opposition to the width as being below their standard, they’d just ban cycling. Such a ban would no doubt be ignored by cyclists.
It appears that the subcomittee was not shown the results of the petition on the footbridge. Local resident John Lawson said, “Many of those who were concerned about the bridge height wanted not only to protect the jumpers, but also children and non-powered boat users from increased use of the channel by powered boats and their wash, many of which are currently limited by the low bridge height.”
Council is now looking for public input into the colour of the bridge, which is proposed to be tones of blue, green and purple. It will also proceed with seeking a resource consent to construct the bridge.
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