The Waimate District Council has established the Waitaki Bridges Lobby Group to ensure new bridges are "progressed satisfactorily on behalf of ratepayers and communities involved".
Cr Peter Foley - appointed to the committee with Waimate Mayor John Coles and Crs Peter McIlraith and Sharyn Cain with staff as required - said yesterday the Waitaki District Council, which administers the southern side of the bridges, would also be asked to appoint representatives.
The aim is to keep pressure on the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Government to ensure the two new bridges are built as soon as possible.
That is in line with a unanimous decision by 150 people at a public meeting in Hakataramea in February calling for new bridges to be built soon to replace the single-lane, 129-year-old wooden bridges, which closed in January and February for nine days because of flooding.
Closing the bridges caused major disruption for the two communities each side and for traffic using State Highway 82.
Work on new two-lane concrete bridges, estimated to cost $15 million, is scheduled to start next year and be finished by 2014, but that depends on the New Zealand Transport Agency's getting resource consents and funding.
Cr Foley yesterday said there was a fear construction could be put down the priorities list, despite Government promises.
Part of the reason for that could be repairing the damage caused in Christchurch by the earthquakes.
The group was also considering calling another public meeting next month, inviting "everyone from the Prime Minister down" to keep pressure on.
Mr Coles said Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean had said recently the new bridges were still on track to be built and a decision on funding would be made by the New Zealand Transport Agency about the middle of next month.
The Waimate and Waitaki district councils would both be writing to the agency saying it was "absolutely crucial" funding be made available.
That message was also relayed to Prime Minister John Key when he visited Waimate on August 4.
