A staging area as a base for building the new twin bridges between Kurow and Hakataramea over the Waitaki River was being set up yesterday, for work to start on April 8.
Machinery was moved yesterday morning on to the site on Kurow Island between the bridges on State Highway 82.
New Zealand Transport Agency state highway manager Colin Knaggs said that was the start to contractors setting up the staging area for on-site facilities.
''This work will take about two weeks to complete and will be followed by the clearing of the southern abutment, the start of the earthworks and rock protection on the southern bank [Kurow side] of the Waitaki River,'' he said yesterday.
All building consents for the work have been received and the contractors are scheduled to begin piling for the first bridge on the southern bank of the river during the second week of May. The $20.1 million project to build two new two-lane concrete bridges will take about 18 months to complete.
Between 15 and 20 people would be working on the project on a typical day and, at peak times, between 20 and 30. McConnell Dowell Constructorsis the lead contractor, and the subcontractors are Rooney Earthmoving and Downer.
