few things are as admirable as innovation overcoming a problem, and using whats available, in the most simple way, to get the job done.... like when a bridge washes out, but people have NO other way to get across except helicopter (time to install a zip line, people!!!)

so, the Waiho bridge was destroyed by a heavier rain than the planners predicted would happen,



and the bridge they'd made, never was going to survive a realistically predictable problem... that the bean counters would only pay for X, but the bridge they should have built to survive for decades of unknown storms, was X + .5X = 150% of X

instead of doing it right, now, they're doing it twice, and meanwhile, a LOT of people are inconvenienced by the lack of a motorway across the bed

That is, until Tim Gibb set up a ferry service using a 38 tonne dumper as transport across the Waiho River. (Send him a compliment! https://www.facebook.com/tim.gibb.9 )

Gibb, a self-employed local, said he was just trying to help out the locals who lived on the other side of the river, as well as taking the odd tourist across.

Gibb said everyone in the small tourist town was "hurting a bit" after the huge floods. The extra 100 people coming into town on the impromptu ferry were all spending money so "everyone's pretty happy".

Those using the service do not seem to mind the slightly bumpy ride.

"They absolutely love it, they say it's the best thing they've done on their holiday," Gibb said.

See? be like Tim! Tim is smart! Don't be like the beancounters, they are stupid and cause problems. Tim fixes problems!

Why the hell didn't the project manager get some excavators and dozers to make a quick road across the river bed until the bridge is built?  Because they work for the govt. Has the govt gotten much of anything right?

NO! Ask the locals! And what happens? Genius, and volunteering!

Blakely Mining had provided a big bulldozer to put in a smooth path across the river,  and the dumper was trucked down from Tru-Line Civil in Greymouth.

The truck has been loaded with about 15 tonnes of gravel to level out its dump bed. A flat deck with tie-down points has been strapped to the back to hold the cars on securely through the crossing.

Sending a car across costs $100 and passengers are $20 each, with room for up to three in the cab. Gibb said he was not covering his costs.

Sending the truck down and back was the biggest cost of the whole operation.

He said the truck drove really well through the river, which was about a metre deep.

The community had been amazing in their support, Gibb said.

I can't manipulate this next video to get regular size, sorry



here is a pierside vid https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=414614365764613

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/111758950/army-engineers-on-site-to-help-rebuild-west-coasts-waiho-bridge
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/111852077/dump-truck-ferry-carries-up-to-100-each-day-across-bridgeless-waiho-river
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/386702/waiho-river-stopbank-to-be-rebuilt-within-two-weeks
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/04/west-coast-man-s-diy-ferry-service-after-bridge-collapse-cuts-off-franz-joseph.html
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/very-nice-police-warning-prompts-dump-truck-driver-stop-taking-cars-across-waiho-river
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=ms.c.eJxl0MkNwEAIA8COIrxgw~%3BbfWJRfZL4jcyJAtq5wKsXsBz8hTGZlVCsDk0S7dLpMySVMGN6H6VXVW3yfIlZm1u3Xp8u~%3BwevfUKxMxicvKGxIzg~-~-.bps.a.10155769612126537&type=1

Thanks to Mark D for bringing a fun cool story to the mix! The last couple days have really sucked and been no fun!