Locals have reported waiting for up to an hour to cross the Albert Town Bridge during the peak holiday period, but those traffic jams are unlikely to get a bridge upgrade fast-tracked, Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) says.

The single-lane bridge is always under pressure around Christmas and New Year’s, when huge numbers of visitors are in the area, but this festive season’s waits were some of the longest.

NZTA told the Wānaka App the festive season traffic is unlikely to push the bridge’s planned upgrade further up the priority list.

Construction on a bridge upgrade (billed to include an expansion to a two-lane bridge) is unlikely to start before 2030 and the wait could be even longer.

Read more: Two lane upgrade possible for Albert Town Bridge

The planned improvements to the bridge are part of the NZTA Waka Kotahi State Highway Investment Proposal 2024-2034.

An NZTA representative said traffic numbers and issues are always “part of the picture” when NZTA work is prioritised.

Because the bridge has historically been congested during holiday periods, this will likely have already been factored into the timing for the upgrade.

Calls for a bridge upgrade have been long-running, most recently from the Albert Town Community Association (ATCA).

The ATCA said to NZTA in a 13-page letter last year that the bridge is insufficient for current and projected demand and it is at significant risk of foundation failure in the event of a major earthquake.

If the bridge failed, the ATCA said, it would leave the West Coast with very limited road, sea and air access.

The Albert Town bridge was built in 1930. On an average day 5,500 vehicles cross the bridge, about five percent of which are heavy vehicles.

PHOTO: Wānaka App