Shotover Bridge

Works will take place from 7.30am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday from the beginning of November 2021 until end of May 2022.

The speed limit across the bridge will reduce to 50km/hr (from 80km/hr) from Monday 6 December 2021 between the hours of 7.30am - 6.00pm, Monday to Friday. 

No works are scheduled to occur between 22 December to 17 January, so  speed restrictions over the holiday period will not be in place. Works will then continue from 18 January until mid-March 2022 with speed reductions in place. 

From March to May 2022, we’re able to do the majority of work with minimal impacts to traffic.

We expect there to be about 4-5 days of work between November to December that is highly disruptive (for example, lane closures). This work has been scheduled to be completed at night.

This is a requirement by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and an important health and safety matter. Importantly it’s all about keeping workers underneath the bridge safe, as well as protecting road-users.  

The risk of serious harm from an object falling off a moving vehicle, or a loose stone being thrown up and hitting someone, is much less when that vehicle is travelling at 50km/hr rather than 80km/hr.

We all have a role to play to make sure everyone gets home safely. Adding an extra minute or two to travel times means a safer working environment, reducing the risk of serious harm or injury.

In addition to the reduced speed along the bridge, part of the cycle trail heading west along SH6 to Old School Road will be closed, and we ask cyclists to please follow the detour signs in place.

The remaining trail along Old School Road from Lower Shotover Country to the Old Shotover Bridge will remain open.

Traffic will still be able to use both lanes of the bridge, you’ll just need to travel at a reduced speed. We recommend allowing a bit of extra time for your journeys, especially if you need to travel during busier periods.

Buses and pedal-powered options are still available, and highly encouraged for those who can.

The work programme has been planned to be done as efficiently and as quickly as possible.

Completing these works outside of peak hours or at night reduces how much work can be completed each day. For example, reducing the working hours to 9.00am – 5.00pm reduces the working day by 24%, this means that the full works will take at least 24% longer to complete.

Doing works at night is also less efficient, more costly, and increases health and safety risks.

We have scheduled 4-5 days of work to be completed at night, due to the significant disruptions expected for traffic, such as lane closures.  

We have tried to schedule these works so that there is the least amount of impact to the community and road users.

We recognise that there is a large amount of road works happening in and around Queenstown at the moment. There is also a significant amount of works yet to come, as part of a national drive by Waka Kotahi to improve road safety.

Further information on this programme of works can be found on Waka Kotahi’s website: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/planning-and-investment/nz-upgrade/queenstown-package/

All of these works represent a significant investment into the future of our district.  We absolutely acknowledge that road works and disruptions can be challenging.  The construction underway right across the Whakatipu is significant but it won’t last forever and the result will benefit everyone.