New Zealand State Highway 82
Encyclopedia
State Highway 82 is a minor east-west South Island
State Highway
in New Zealand
connecting the South Canterbury locality of Hook
with the settlement of Kurow
in the Waitaki Valley via the major town of Waimate
. It is a two lane single carriageway
.
The road is notable for crossing the Waitaki River
via two 130 year-old two single lane bridges (256m and 140m long) across the Waitaki River on State Highway 82, which provides a vital link between Kurow and Hakataramea. State Highway 82 offers the only handy alternative route for motorists to reach destinations north and south of the Waitaki River and without these bridges motorists using SH1 would face lengthy detours via the Mackenzie District. Dating back to 1881 and 1893, these aging structures were originally built as railway bridges but have now reached the end of their serviceable lives and require replacement. Extensive flood damage during December 1995/January 1996 that resulted in the closures of these bridges, highlighted their vulnerability to further flood damage. Two new two-lane bridges with a downstream cycle-pedestrian path will be completed in 2014 .
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
State Highway
New Zealand State Highway network
The New Zealand State Highway network is the major national highway network in New Zealand. Just under 100 roads in both the North and South Islands are State Highways...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
connecting the South Canterbury locality of Hook
Hook, New Zealand
Hook is a lightly populated locality in the southern Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is situated on coastal plains by the Pacific Ocean and Wainono Lagoon. Hook River flows through Hook into the Wainono Lagoon...
with the settlement of Kurow
Kurow
Kurow is a town in the Waitaki Valley in the South Island of New Zealand, 55 kilometres inland from OamaruThe name of the town is an Anglicised form of the name of the nearby mountain Te Kohurau....
in the Waitaki Valley via the major town of Waimate
Waimate
WaimateUrban AreaPopulation:2,835 Extent:Territorial AuthorityName:Waimate District CouncilPopulation:7,206 Land area:3,582.19 km² Mayor:John ColesWebsite:...
. It is a two lane single carriageway
Single carriageway
A single carriageway is a road with 1, 2 or more lanes arranged within a single carriageway with no central reservation to separate opposing flows of traffic. Two-lane road or two-lane highway are single carriageway with one lane for each direction...
.
The road is notable for crossing the Waitaki River
Waitaki River
The Waitaki River is a large river in the South Island of New Zealand, some 110 km long. It is the major river of the Mackenzie Basin.It is a braided river which flows through Lake Benmore, Lake Aviemore and Lake Waitaki. These are ultimately fed by three large glacial lakes, Pukaki, Tekapo,...
via two 130 year-old two single lane bridges (256m and 140m long) across the Waitaki River on State Highway 82, which provides a vital link between Kurow and Hakataramea. State Highway 82 offers the only handy alternative route for motorists to reach destinations north and south of the Waitaki River and without these bridges motorists using SH1 would face lengthy detours via the Mackenzie District. Dating back to 1881 and 1893, these aging structures were originally built as railway bridges but have now reached the end of their serviceable lives and require replacement. Extensive flood damage during December 1995/January 1996 that resulted in the closures of these bridges, highlighted their vulnerability to further flood damage. Two new two-lane bridges with a downstream cycle-pedestrian path will be completed in 2014 .