METRONEWS
© New Zealand Broadcasting School 2024

Bridging the gap: Upgrades halt access to Opawa

Violet French
bridge
The affected area of Woolston  Google Maps

Ongoing works on the No.7 KiwiRail bride on Brougham St/Opawa Rd cause issues for locals.

Calls from residents surrounding Radley St, in Opawa are concerned about the impacts of ongoing upgrades being made to the KiwiRail by Fulton Hogan, in particular bridge No. 7. The bridge runs alongside State Highway 76, connecting Brougham St, to Opawa Rd and intersects SH74 on Garlands Rd. 

The upgrades to the rail bridge have limited access to Clarendon and Richardson Terraces, and have meant detours via the Sheldon St Footbridge, or Radley St and Garlands Rd. Work began on the rail bridge in July.

Residents are pleading with the Waikura (Linwood-Central-Heathcote) Community Board to pressure the Christchurch City Council and Fulton Hogan to put up better signage about access to thoroughfares.

Many residents are concerned that erratic pedestrian access along Clarendon and Richardson Terraces forces families and school children to take high-risk routes, or detours along the Sheldon St Footbridge, which itself has limited access. 

Residents are encouraging the community board to apply pressure to authorities to schedule maintenance on the Sheldon St bridge during school holidays to avoid disruptions to those travelling to schools in Opawa, and to mitigate safety issues for children travelling to school along the busy state highways.