Ashburton’s new bridge a done deal, except for the dollars

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

It’s all good to go but who’s going to pay for it?

That still remains the big unknown for the second Ashburton/Hakatere River Bridge after the Government confirmed it would be part of its $32.9 billion plan for New Zealand’s transport network over the next three years.

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has unveiled the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), which focuses on more state highways, road maintenance, and greater public transport in the country's main cities with a 35% increase in funding compared to the last three years.

He said it includes plans to work with Ashburton District Council to progress the second Ashburton Bridge as a road of regional significance.

Ashburton mayor Neil Brown said having it included in the transport plan "cements that the project will go ahead”.

"We will be getting our second bridge.

"It’s a tremendous achievement for all that have been involved in it over the last 15 years.

"Hopefully we’ll have it (funding and timeline) sorted in the next few months.”

But the big question remains on how constructing the 360-metre-long bridge across the Ashburton/Hakatere River, and associated new road infrastructure to link it to the existing network, will be funded.

That in a cheeky way was put to Rangitata MP James Meager when he presented an update to the council on the Government’s work programme.

Mayor Brown welcomed him with a tongue-in-cheek quip that Meager is "a busy man no doubt, getting funding for bridges etc”.

The commitment to get the bridge started in this term of Government is unchanged, Meager said.

Whether it comes from tax, rates, or user pays, someone ends up paying for it, he said.

"It sits with the council and NZTA now to have those conversations and discussions about what the funding mix is.”

What being a road of regional significance means for the NZTA contribution also remains to be seen but Meager suggested it could result in "an uplift” of the Government’s contribution from the minimum 51%.

Council chief executive Hamish Riach confirmed that they had already applied to the Government’s regional infrastructure fund, while Mayor Brown said they have put in for a fast-track consent for the project.

The council included $7.5m for the second bridge in its long-term plan and was aware that figure may not be enough.

Being included in the plan guarantees at least the minimum 51% funding from NZTA as costing of $113m, based on the 2022 business case, but that estimate is now closer to $130m.

At the $113m price tag, NZTA’s 51% contribution ($56.6m) and the council’s $7.5m (6.7% of the total cost) leaves a shortfall of $48.9m.

How that funding gap is bridged has been a focus for some time and will need to be finalised soon.

"We have been working with NZTA for a while now around how that might work, and those discussions are well advanced,” Brown said.

***More than a bridge

The bridge was the big Mid Canterbury project in the Government’s transport plan but wasn’t the only one.

There is a planned asphalt upgrade for the SH1 Ashburton – SH77 junction to the Ashburton Bridge.

The section of the road will be dug out and re-asphalted to cater for heavy traffic use.

Safety improvements will be designed for the Selwyn River to Ashburton stretch of SH1.

There will also be a rockfall fence in the Rakaia Gorge along SH77 on the south side of the river to protect motorists and the highway, and to give reliable journey times.