Two new two-lane concrete bridges on State Highway 82 are under construction at a cost of about $20 million and due to open late next year, replacing the single-lane wooden bridges opened in November 1881 for road and rail.
The New Zealand Transport Agency said dismantling the old bridges was due to start later this year and to be completed by the middle of next year.
Australian hardwood and other materials from the bridges would be given to the local communities.
Waitaki District Council roading network engineer Graeme Butler said the agency had liaised extensively with the Waimate and Waitaki district councils to establish a process for sharing and handing over the old bridge parts to the communities in both districts that had expressed an interest.
The process put in place would enable the bridges to be given to the communities as far as was reasonable and without favouritism or disruption to the construction programme.
Mr Butler said the two councils recently consulted their community boards and other interested groups to assess the demand and extent of bridge parts required for future re-use or other distribution.
''As a result, both councils have determined what they wish to save and have transferred to them during bridge deconstructions,'' he said.
Four key outcomes were agreed. -A bridge display of two 12m spans to be provided by the agency to the Kurow Island Reserve.
Waimate and Waitaki District Councils have requested and will receive an agreed proportion of the remaining bridge components (handrails, decks, piles and support steels), which would be transported to locations of their choice during deconstruction.
They would manage the disposal and liaise with people who might wish to receive bridge parts.
Bridge components will not be left in storage on the Kurow Island reserve other than for display or temporary storage during deconstruction.
The remaining materials not identified as wanted by the councils would be disposed of by the agency and its contractor without public consultation.
Other groups interested in accessing bridge parts transferred to the two councils should register their interest at the Information Centre and Museum in Kurow.
