The new, more resilient structure is a significant upgrade on its predecessor that was deemed beyond repair after it was washed out during heavy rain in June.

Mark Owen, Regional Manager Lower North Island/Top of the South, says the project is a real success story for the region, with local contractors completing the work in record time.

“Building a new bridge quickly without compromising quality was the priority – we managed to do that by working on smart solutions with local contractors.”

“By using the design and construct model our contractors were able to begin construction on the new bridge immediately using generic bridge details that were refined as required as construction progressed, saving time and money.”  

Mr Owen says the local community also played a key role in helping the project progress at pace.

“Landowners were accommodating of us using their land for the temporary bypass, local utilities companies were on board early and promptly relocated lines and cables and Marlborough District Council urgently produced a flood model that informed the design of the new bridge.” 

“It’s been a real team effort from the outset, through to project completion.” 

Work on the replacement bridge began on 18 August, with a temporary road and minor detour in place to keep traffic moving safely while construction was underway.

The new, longer bridge was built on site with a deep-piled foundation and a wider precast concrete deck, improving both resilience and efficiency. 

As part of the upgrade, new barriers were installed on the approaches to the bridge, and these, along with the wider deck, mean the new bridge is much safer for traffic. 

Mr Owen said the support from road users during this work is appreciated by everyone involved.

“We know State Highway 63 is a critical route in Marlborough, and we acknowledge the Andersons Floodway Bridge project, along with other recovery and repair works on the highway, have caused disruption and travel delays for drivers.”

“Our contractors appreciate the patience and cooperation the public have shown while the work has been underway. But the good news is we now have a new improved, and more flood-protected bridge open just in time for Christmas,” Mr Owen says.

Andersons Floodway Bridge – Facts and figures:

Other work on State Highway 63:

Mr Owen says work to rebuild a section of State Highway 63 on the eastern side of the township is making good progress, and recovery work to repair significant scouring damage west of the Waihopai Bridge is now underway.

“From 17 November contractors will also begin work to rebuild a 200-metre section of the state highway, west of the Waihopai Bridge. This will involve removing the top layer of the road, laying new gravel, and then applying new chipseal. The end result will be a much stronger stretch of highway,” Mr Owen says.

SH63 West of Waihopai Bridge works schedule:

• Now until Friday, 19 December, 7 am – 6 pm weekdays.
• No work on weekends
• Stop/Go traffic management and 30km/h temporary speed limit. Expect ten-minute delays.
• A 30 km/h temporary speed limit will be in place outside work hours.
• These works are weather-dependent, and schedules may change. 

SH63 East of the Wairau Valley township:

• Work to rebuild a 1.3 kilometre section of State Highway 63, on the Renwick side of the Wairau Valley township continues until Friday, 12 December, 7 am – 6 pm Monday to Saturday.
• Stop/go traffic management and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit will remain in place 24/7. Expect ten-minute delays.
• These works are weather-dependent, and schedules may change.

Driver Advice:

• Stop/Go traffic management remains in place at multiple locations on State Highway 63 as other minor storm damage repairs are completed.
• Expect short delays while this work is underway.

Please follow all traffic management, temporary speed limits, and instructions from road crews. They are there to keep everyone safe

Subject to final testing, the first set is expected to start enforcing speeds from 1 December at Matakana Road in Warkworth. 

Average speed cameras work by calculating a vehicle’s average speed along a length of road between two cameras. They measure the time the vehicle takes to travel between the cameras and calculate the average speed. Drivers are only ticketed if their average travel speed between two cameras is over the limit. 

“Average speed safety cameras are widely used overseas, and they are proven to reduce deaths and serious injuries,” says Tara Macmillan, NZTA Head of Regulatory Strategic Programmes. 

“We’ve previously announced 11 locations for average speed safety cameras, all in the upper half of the North Island. We’ve now identified a further six locations for average speed safety cameras across the rest of the country.” 

The new locations are: 

• Southland – SH6 Kingston to SH97 Five Rivers  
• Canterbury – SH8 Lake Tekapo to Twizel  
• Otago – SH1 Allanton to Waihola 
• Wellington – SH2 Te Mārua to Brown Owl 
• Hawke’s Bay – SH2 Te Hauke to Pakipaki 
• Manawatū-Whanganui – SH1 Sanson to Foxton  

Construction on these six new camera sites is expected to start between later this month (Otago and Southland) and mid-2026. A full list of all 17 average speed safety camera locations is included in the table further below. 

Ms Macmillan says the locations for average speed safety cameras have been determined by analysing crash patterns, traffic volumes and the percentage of drivers exceeding the posted speed limits. 

“All of this evidence tells us that there is a serious risk of people being killed or seriously injured in crashes on these stretches of road. 

“The risk of crashes is significantly reduced if more people drive to the speed limit. By installing average speed safety cameras, we are reducing that risk and making these roads safer for everyone who uses them,” Ms Macmillan says. 

“Safety cameras reduce speeding, making crashes less likely to occur, and ensure that if crashes do happen, the people involved are far more likely to walk away unharmed. 

“Speeding drivers can cause serious and irreparable harm on the roads, including deaths and serious injuries. Evidence shows that we can reduce the chance of people being killed or seriously injured in crashes if drivers travel within speed limits, and that is why we have safety cameras.

“Not only are speeding drivers putting themselves and others at risk, they also make our roads less efficient and hinder productivity. Crashes can close a road for hours at a time. Fewer crashes mean fewer road closures, and more consistent and reliable travel times for everyone.” 

NZTA will install ‘average speed camera area’ signs before each camera area. On longer stretches of road (corridors), drivers will see extra ‘average speed camera area’ signs along the way. These signs are a reminder to drivers to check their speed and slow down if needed.

The rollout of average speed safety cameras supports the focus on enforcement of high-risk behaviour, including speed, as part of the strategic safety priority in the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024 (GPS).  

NZTA does not receive any incentives or funds from tickets issued. Safety camera infringement fees go into the Government Consolidated Fund. 

From 1 July 2025, NZTA has been responsible for the operation of all safety cameras, and NZ Police no longer operate their mobile safety camera vans. 

Police officers will continue to issue notices for the offences they detect.

Editor’s note: 

NZTA will install signage and confirm ‘go live’ enforcement dates before the average speed safety cameras listed below begin operating. 

See the below factsheet on average speed cameras and a national map of confirmed average speed camera locations.  

Average speed safety camera factsheet

Average speed camera locations map 

* These locations have previously been announced. 

More details on these cameras