Long-awaited repairs have begun on the walking track upstream of the Albert Town bridge. 

First damaged and closed to the public following last December’s flooding, the lower section of the track suffered further damage earlier in the year as it continued to slump and conditions deteriorated. 

The lengthy wait for repairs is a result of COVID-19 restrictions and essential geotechnical investigation to ensure any fix would deal with the ongoing issue of subsidence, as well as the stability of the bank above the track, which has developed new large cracks and slips over the past year. 

“We’re taking a ‘do it once and do it well’ approach,” Otago Regional Council (ORC) engineering manager Michelle Mifflin said.

“The repair work is essential to the structural integrity of the bank and the properties above it, so it is important to ensure the repairs are robust for future high flow events,” she said.

This week fences blocked access to the track.

During the construction period, both the upper and lower tracks upstream of the bridge, as well as access to the Clutha River from 76 Alison Avenue (known as Fisherman’s Track), are closed. 

“It is anticipated the construction work will be completed by Christmas, by which time both tracks will reopen, with the lower track being wider and more stable,” Michelle said.

The ORC has appointed local firm Jolly Earthworks Limited, together with subcontractor Paul Smith Earthmoving, as contractors to undertake this work. 

The ORC removed fallen poplar trees from the slumping section of the track in January. They were regarded as an obstruction in the river and a hazard for recreational users following the December floods.

The popular walking track leads to Luggate downstream and as far north as the Lake Wānaka outlet upstream.

PHOTOS: Wanaka App