At a public meeting at Kurow last night attended by about 60 people, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said it was "anticipating a 2012 construction start" to replace the 131-year-old single-lane wooden bridges with two-lane concrete structures.
A preferred contractor had been selected, the price was being negotiated, all land had been purchased and it would take 28 to 36 months to build the bridges.
However, resource consents were still needed, design and cost estimates finalised and funding approved.
"By the end of this year, we expect that costs will have been agreed and all the necessary consents in place for the new bridges," agency NZTA regional director Jim Harland said.
The agency understood the importance of the route and everything was being done to establish a long-term, strong and reliable connection for the Waitaki Valley.
In the meantime, work was being done to ensure the safety of the existing bridges, with strengthening work on one of the northern bridge piers starting next week to fix damage caused by scouring.
The work would take up to five weeks, with closures up to a maximum of 10 minutes at a time in place from 9am to noon, 1pm to 3pm and 4pm to 5pm.
The strengthening work was expected to be completed by October 21.
The Waimate District Council, which formed a special committee to lobby for replacement of the bridges, called yesterday's meeting in the Kurow Memorial Hall.
Decorating the hall were about 20 bumper stickers saying "No Bridge, No Vote".
Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean acknowledged them.
The MP has organised a petition calling for funding to replace the bridges to be available this financial year, to go to Minister of Transport Steven Joyce and the NZTA.
But Waimate District Council councillor Peter McIlraith successfully proposed the petition be altered to say if funding was not available by the time the general election was held, people would reserve their right "to vote appropriately".
Waimate Mayor John Coles was guarded about what would happen and worried about whether money would be available.
Despite the agency's assurances, Mr Coles said the foot needed "to be kept on the accelerator" and while bridge funding "may be in the pot" he wanted it at the top of the pot, not the bottom.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton said the Waitaki River bridges were a vital link for the community, both socially and economically, and must be rebuilt.
Mr Familton now expected the work to be done by 2015, based on the undertaking given last night by the agency.
In February, while the bridges were closed because of flooding for nine days, about 150 people at a similar public meeting called for urgent action to replace them.
Traffic had to use the SH1 bridge at Glenavy to cross the river.
