Bridge weight limits and speed restrictions
The council owns and maintains 732 bridges on the local road network. Timber bridges and bridges with weight and/or speed restrictions are inspected annually. All other bridges are inspected on a three-yearly cycle. These inspections identify where maintenance is required, and which bridges need to be replaced. Where necessary, we do structural analysis and weight and/or speed restrictions are posted on the structure to ensure safe use of the bridge.
Weight and/or speed restrictions
Numerous bridges within the Far North District have weight and/or speed restrictions for heavy vehicles due to their structural condition. All other bridges are able to convey the loads that are legally allowed on roads as described in the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass (VDAM) Rules published by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), with the possible exclusion of 50 MAX heavy vehicles.
View the weight and/or speed limits on bridges (PDF | 0.11 MB)
NZTA administers use of the Far North's network by 50 MAX vehicles. You can view NZTA’s 50 MAX information online, including a map showing bridges that 50 MAX vehicles are not permitted to cross.
Vehicles exceeding the weight limits in the VDAM Rules are not allowed to cross any Far North bridges unless an Overweight Permit is obtained in advance. To request an Overweight Permit, contact Council's Bridge Engineer, via Opus International Consultants on 09 430 1700. There is a fee for the situation to be evaluated.
If an operator damages a bridge while crossing or considers that a bridge is unsafe to use, please report this by phoning 0800 920 029 (24 hours). Ensure the Customer Services Officer knows that this is emergency works so they can contact the contractor and ensure an immediate response.
Far North bridges are part of a continual improvement programme under our Bridge Improvement Strategy. There is a cost involved in assessing all our bridges. Until they have been assessed it is our responsibility to err on the side of caution and allocate weight limits. If a bridge that has not been assessed is critical to an operator’s activity, we are willing to work with operators on a case-by-case basis.