The issue of bridges has been a sore point in parts of the region for years - particularly the Maniototo, where closed and broken bridges have divided properties, and created detours of more than 40km per round trip.
The Central Otago District Council (CODC) is facing $20 million of bridge replacements in the next 10 years.
The current budget for bridge maintenance and renewals is only $660,000 per annum.
At a meeting in Alexandra on Wednesday the CODC agreed on a strategy for the region’s ageing bridges, and to seek funding from Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to help foot the bill.
Infrastructure manager Quinton Penniall said staff engaged a specialist bridge engineer, and, in collaboration with a council contractor, had quantified the bridge maintenance backlog.
There was an estimated $1.5m of maintenance and $2.5m of renewal required to ensure the region’s bridges reached the end of their useful life, he said.
It was proposed priority be given to bridges deemed strategically the most important, and carried the highest risk to the network.
The CODC is not the only council entering a bridge replacement cycle - the Southland District Council (SDC) had as many bridges to replace in the next 10 years as Central Otago had in total, Mr Penniall said.
The NZTA was responding to the bridge replacement cycle throughout New Zealand with a 51% subsidy for bridge construction and component renewal, and by setting a clear criteria to apply for funding
The CODC was using a matrix developed by the SDC, and endorsed by the NZTA, to help determine if bridges met requirements for repair or replacement.
Three bridges had been identified as priority replacements in the next three years - Little Valley Rd bridge, Maniototo Rd bridge and Scott Lane bridge - and were subject to NZTA approval for co-funding.
The NZTA had indicated a lower-level service structure needed to be considered for the Scott Lane bridge or no renewal may be considered, Mr Penniall said.
