Media Release
Transit New Zealand
Dunedin Regional Office
Media release
23 May 2008
Drilling at
Kawarau
Falls
Drilling down to find out what lies beneath is an essential step in arriving at
a decision on a two-lane bridge on State highway 6 at
Kawarau
Falls
near Queenstown.
The design of a possible replacement bridge relies on good information on the
geology and the strength of the rock upon which the foundations will rely.
Drilling and the extraction of core samples will take place not only from a
barge moored in the river, but also on the shore and on rock outcrops in the
river.
Transit
New Zealand
acting regional manager Bruce Richards says the section of the
Kawarau
River
immediately below the Kawarau Falls Dam will be closed to the public while
drilling takes place. This is because the drilling barge will be moored in
the river with steel guy ropes that will be a serious safety hazard. The
contractor's support craft will operate on the river to ensure safety and to
provision the drilling crews.
The drilling operation is planned to begin on Monday 9 June 2008 and is expected
to take up to five weeks.
The closure of the river will be managed by Marty Black, Harbour Master for
Queenstown Lakes District Council, who will enforce the temporary restriction on
public use of the river.
Bruce says that although the new bridge option has been endorsed by the Regional
Land Transport Committee for Regional Funding it must still go through a
rigorous process to ensure public money is being spent wisely.
"Once a preferred option for the two-lane bridge has been approved there is
still a lot of work to be done before any construction can start. Transit must
apply for consents and a designation under the Resource Management Act and then
carry out the detailed design work."
"We will continue to keep the public and interested parties fully informed
on progress with the project."
For more information please contact:
Bruce Richards
Transit Regional Manager
(Acting)
Dunedin
Tel. 0-3-477 8527
Cell 0-21-564 906
Bruce.Richards@transit.govt.nz
