The novelty is also wearing off for other Hakataramea and Kurow residents, who hope an assessment of damage and load-testing today will, at the very least, clear the 129-year-old twin bridges for light traffic.
Yesterday, vehicles were parked on the island between the two bridges, and a similar number on the north side of the Waitaki River, for residents to use after walking across the bridge.
Local people are able to use the south bridge with light vehicles, but only pedestrians and cyclists are allowed across the longer north bridge.
A trolley left at the north bridge, loaned by NZ Tools Ltd, of Kurow, makes it easier for people to get across with bulky items, such as groceries, toddlers and children's car safety seats.
Mrs Gray found it handy to put Benjamin, fastened in his car seat, and her handbag into the trolley, after first having to walk across the bridge to collect it.
She had "a list of things" to collect while in Kurow, including two boxes of meat.
The day after the bridges closed on February 8, Mrs Gray took the family's second car via the State Highway 1 bridge at Glenavy and parked it on the Kurow island.
"We're lucky with a second car there to use when we cross over, but some people aren't so fortunate," she said.
One Hakataramea resident is using his three-wheeled scooter to travel to Kurow.
Others are using cycles, but most elect to walk.
Parents, on a roster, are taking children across the bridge to attend school and then meeting them for their return home.
A shearing contractor has one van parked on the Kurow side, with another on the Hakataramea side to get his gangs to work on contracts.
Emergency services have also located vehicles on the Hakataramea side, including the Kurow Medical Centre, which has a car with emergency medical equipment inside.
For Hakataramea residents with medical appointments, the centre is collecting them in vehicles on the south side if they need transport.
