By: Cameron Dewe13th Nov 2015 12:29AMThis postcard depicts the Akatarawa Bridge over the Hutt River. The bridge was constructed in 1880-1881 for the Hutt County Council as part of the road from "Mungaroa" to Waikanae through the Akatarawa valley. The road was eventually completed in the 1920's. Variously known as the Waikanae bridge, Birchville bridge, the Black Bridge or the old county bridge, the Hutt County Council called this bridge the Akatarawa Bridge even when it closed the bridge to vehicle traffic in November 1953. This bridge should not be confused with the Akatarawa River bridge that was also constructed at the same time as part of the same contract, but crossed the Akatarawa River near where it enters the Hutt River a few hundred metres upstream. Nor should it be confused with the concrete Akatarawa Road bridge which was built about 1917 and crossed the Hutt River just upstream of the Akatarawa River confluence.

The bridge crossed the Hutt River near the intersection of Birch Terrace and Rata Street with Akatarawa Road entering Bridge Road on the opposite side of the river at the small park where Bridge Road makes a sharp turn. The original Akatarawa Bridge and road alignment can be seen in Christoper Aubrey's watercolour painting "Akatarawa Valley" (Alexander Turnbull Library Reference Number: C-030-029).

In 1913 the Upper Hutt Borough Council built a pipe bridge just downstream of the Akatarawa Bridge to carry water supply pipes for the borough water supply. The Hutt County Council had refused to allow the pipes to be attached to the county bridge. Although the bridge was closed in 1953, and the water supply replaced in 1958, the bridge piers remained in the riverbed until they were damaged by a flood in 1998 and had to be removed for safety reasons.

Apart from photographs there is little physical evidence that this bridge crossed the Hutt River. Yet it is this bridge that gives (Black) Bridge Road its name.