Investment in vital bridge to Monowai Valley

The Regional Infrastructure Fund will invest $6 million towards replacing the Monowai Suspension Bridge in western Southland, Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson and South Island Minister James Meager say.

The funding will support construction of a new bridge on Lake Monowai Road, ensuring continued access to Monowai Valley and Fiordland National Park.

This bridge is a vital link for the Monowai Valley communities and businesses, and the historic Monowai hydroelectric power station which has contributed to the electricity network for more than 100 years, Mr Patterson says.

This is the sole practical road route into the valley but the bridge’s current 28.5-tonne weight restriction forces businesses to split loads, stockpile forestry products or find costly alternatives for moving heavy equipment.

A modern replacement will remove that bottleneck and provide safer, more resilient access for vehicles of up to 50 tonnes, Mr Patterson says.

Replacing Monowai bridge will strengthen the region’s resilience, keep people connected, support agriculture, forestry, tourism and recreation, and provide more reliable maintenance access to the Monowai hydro station, Mr Meager says.

The funding recognises the bridge’s importance as a public asset that supports regional economic activity, community access and the reliability of critical infrastructure.

The $6 million RIF grant will go to Southland District Council, which is co-funding and delivering the project. The total cost of the project remains commercial-in-confidence while it is out to tender. Construction is planned to be completed by December 2027.