Bailey bridges are being installed in some places where existing bridges have been damaged or washed away by the recent floods. A Bailey bridge is a prefabricated single-lane bridge that can be installed relatively quickly—anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
Waka Kotahi maintains the country’s Bailey bridge stocks, and we use specialist teams from Downer for installation. We're continuing our work with the National Emergency Management Agency and local authorities to assess potential locations, and whether those sites can accommodate a Bailey bridge.
Bailey bridges aren’t an instant fix. There’s planning that has to happen before they get rolled out, and whether they can be installed, and how quickly they can be set up, depends on how accessible the area is and the preparation work required.
While a standard 30-metre Bailey bridge could be constructed in a week under the right conditions, many take longer due to access requirements. Often, piers (the support columns a bridge sits on) are required for longer bridges, and we also need to make sure the bridge can withstand the type of flooding that damaged the previous bridge.
