Replacing the Kirikiri Bridge on State Highway 26 near Thames will help pave the way for an upgrade to flood protection stopbanks in the area, says the Waikato Regional Council.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced the Government will invest $12 million to replace the 75-year-old bridge, with work expected to start in late 2017.

An artist impression showing the new Kirikiri stream bridge in front of the old one. NZTA Image.

Localised flooding in the Kirikiri area has caused frequent damage at times, exacerbated by the seven decade old bridge which is low and narrow and has a central pier that collects flood debris, causing water to back up during storm events.

Simon says the $12m project will involve replacing the bridge and realigning the state highway around the structure.

'A few months ago I visited the bridge to get a sense of the issues it was causing the community. It's clear that this $12m investment will make a tremendous difference to the local community and to those travelling to the Coromandel,” he says.

'The current bridge was built back in 1941 and only provides protection for a one in five year rainfall event. The new bridge will be able to cope with a 100 year storm.”

The new Kirikiri Bridge will be built slightly upstream from the current one and will be three metres higher, and designed in a way which will prevent debris accumulating underneath and contributing to flooding.

The regional council's integrated catchment management directorate has been working closely with the NZ Transport Agency in building the business case for the bridge upgrade.

ICM director Clare Crickett says flood protection can be provided by stopbanks under the Waihou Valley Flood Scheme to the local community.

'Now with the bridge redevelopment we will be able to look at upgrading the stopbanks in the area to significantly boost the level of protection provided.”

The council plans to work on obtaining resource consents for the stopbank upgrades this year and coordinate the construction of the flood protection works along with the bridge replacement project during 2017-2018.

'This will be the last part of the Waihou Valley flood protection scheme which couldn't be completed back in 1995 due to the problems with the Kirikiri Bridge,” says Clare.