Fast forward to January 2023. Imagine the sheer force of floodwaters. They relentlessly pounded against the Mill Bridge. This bridge connected Mill Flat Road and Coatesville-Riverhead Highway. The extreme flooding had broken the banks of the stream below. The original Mill Bridge was swept away on January 27. Around 200 residents were cut off.
But the story doesn’t end there.
A temporary fix was needed urgently. A Bailey bridge, often used by armed forces for temporary crossings, was chosen. This bridge would be in place until a permanent replacement is designed and built.
Ten workers from Downer completed the installation in just six days. The new Mill Bridge is a one-lane bridge. It is very similar to what was there prior. Some say it is a bit stronger.
The project was a collaboration between Auckland Transport, Downer NZ and Waka Kotahi. More than 35 people helped to make it happen.
The Downer team transported the Bailey bridge modular units up from Hawke’s Bay. The bridge consists of 2,278 pieces. Its estimated weight is nearly 80 tonnes. The team immediately set to work assembling the bridge and extending it over the stream.
Residents had been using a 30-minute forestry road detour before the temporary Mill Bridge was finished. This detour was only suitable for 4×4 vehicles. Rayonier from Matariki Forests opened their forestry road for residents to use. The community pulled together.
Johan Swanepoel said the equipment that was sent up weighed about 80 tonnes. It consisted of 2500 pieces of steel and bolts. Truckloads of wooden planks were also sent up. The installed Bailey bridge has a steel structure with a wooden deck.
The original Mill Bridge was due for replacement. Auckland Transport wants to put in a solid structure. They hope future flooding will have little to no impact. The new bridge is a temporary Bailey Bridge. It will serve its purpose until a permanent bridge is constructed.