The truck had become wedged between the guard-rails on either side of the bridge.
Photo: Supplied/Debbie Howell
The mayor of Horowhenua says his first thought on hearing of a serious crash on State Highway 1 – south of Levin – on Friday was “not another one”.
Three people were injured – one critically – when a truck and two vehicles crashed on Manakau North Rail Overbridge shortly before 6.21am.
Traffic backed up for long distances from the bridge where the truck had become wedged between the guard-rails on either side of the bridge.
St John Ambulance said one person suffered critical injuries and was airlifted from the scene then transported by road ambulance to Wellington hospital.
Two people – in moderate condition – were assessed at the scene but did not require hospitalisation.
Mayor Bernie Wanden said the crash was another “tragic event” that would impact a number of families and people.
“It’s not good to hear this sort of news at all. Those bridges are notorious, dangerous and have been for many decades.
“No doubt it will be a combination of different factors but certainly the bridge, the way it’s contoured, it’s age and the way there’s very little give in it means that these sorts of things unfortunately happen from time to time,” Wanden said.
Wanden said the speed limit along the stretch had been temporarily reduced to 80 km/h as construction of the O2NL expressway further complicated driving conditions in the area.
“The safety and resilience of the current State Highway network is not good and this has always presented problems because of the fact that there’s no alternative route when incidents like this occur on that stretch of road.
“The new expressway can’t come quick enough. We’re going to have to deal with this for a few more years yet unfortunately.
“We in Horowhenua dread this sort of tragic events happening. We’ve seen and heard of far too many over the years. It just shows again how important the new road is going to be,” Wanden said.
St John Ambulance said one person suffered critical injuries and was airlifted from the scene.
Photo: Supplied / James Horne
The bulk of the work on the new expressway is expected to be completed in late 2029.
Kuku resident Nikki Hardin lives near the crash site and heard the sound of the impact from inside her home.
“I heard a big boom, that went on for a couple of seconds, the booming and the metal scraping. I believe that’s when the truck kind of wedged itself,” Hardin said.
Hardin said her partner had lived in the area all their life and they “had seen some stuff”.
“I don’t like driving on the bridge it feels so scary just approaching it – there always seems to be a big truck coming right towards you and you know if you even cross that line a tiny bit there’s no hope,” Hardin said.
She said she feared for her teenage son learning to drive in the area and often pleaded with visiting friends to avoid turning across the busy stretch when visiting her home.
A Manakau resident, Alicia Miratana said the stretch of road was the “bane of our existence”.
Miratana rushed to the bridge when she heard the sound of the crash shortly after six o’clock.
“We constantly hear the slamming on brakes going on from trucks every time we’re home. I feel really aroha for all involved. I’ve heard that sound before and you know it’s not a good result,” Miratana said.
Miratana said she and other locals had opened Ngāti Wehiwehi Marae to receive motorists stranded when the route was blocked.
“We’ve opened up to allow people in their vehicles to just come in go to the toilet, have a hot drink, just stretch a bit because most of them have been here since 6.30,” Maritana said.
She estimated in the first two hours of the marae being opened nearly 50 people – mostly truck drivers – popped in for a breather.
Waka Kotahi said State Highway One was reopened at about 1 pm but motorists were advised to expect continued delays in the area as congestion cleared.
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