Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) has been appropriated $1.4million for bridge and structure improvement in the 2024/25 financial year and work on most of the bridges hasbeen completed.

ICI secretary Elizabeth Wright-Koteka says the eight bridges/culverts such as the Rarotongan box culvert, Murivai stream bridge, Avatiu power station bridge, Takina bridge, Pumaita Pass bridge, Paua road bridge, Avana valley bridge and Avana bridge were under maintenance and the repair programme which commenced in June has been completed. 

Wright-Koteka said the contractor, Landholdings Ltd has had a variation to contract at ICI’s request to repair/replace the guardrail at Papua Stream Bridge which was ruined by a motor vehicle accident recently. 

She anticipated this would  be completed at the end of October.

She said the next round of bridge maintenance/repairs program procurement documents are currently being reviewed by Crown Law and ICI hopes to go to market in the first half of November for this work, with the aim of completing in this financial year. 

“This will focus on the repairs of Oaoa main road bridge, Kent Hall pedestrian culvert, Totokoitu Bridge, Taipara Bridge, Takuvaine-Takamoa Bridge and Apii Avarua pedestrian crossing. 

“In the 2024/25 financial year, ICI has appropriated $700,000 for bridge and stream structure maintenance.”

 In addition to this, she said ICI is in the process of finalising the procurement for improvements and upgrade of the Vaimutu’uri stream bridge. 

“The existing bridge beams are badly spalled and corroded therefore reducing the strength of the bridge.

“This work will see the replacement of the bridge deck and overall strengthening of the bridge. “ She added that ICI aims to complete the project in this financial year.