Supplied by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
The team is making great progress on the construction of the bridge. This timelapse footgage shows just how far they have come.
There are a lot of variables in construction and at this point in time there are still uncertainties in the programme – such as fabrication of the beams, deck construction and impacts from the wind on our crane lifts.
We’re working really closely with our contractor to accelerate delivery. The contractor is currently delivering to the proposed programme and last week finished the piling (check out the amazing piling crew below).
We know how much it means to the Coromandel to reopen this road and we’re committed to building this bridge in the shortest time possible.
A lot has happened in the past week. Not only have we reached a significant milestone, but we’ve also nearly finished the earthworks and slip stabilisation.
Last week our piling crew finished the bridge piling. Both the crew and rig are off to another project. They were a dedicated team who worked in both challenging and difficult conditions. We’d like to wish them luck on their next project.
Other activity nearing completion is the earthworks and slip stabilisation. This is a great achievement, especially after working in muddy and challenging conditions for the first two months of the project.
Above the ground, bridge construction continues, and the team has made great progress this past week:
Abutment A + D: Completed the first two pours at Abutment A (the main beam and the plinth). At Abutment D the steel fixing for the main beam has been completed.
Pier B: Finished installing the steel casing and reinforcement for the last two columns and poured all four. These columns will support the bridge deck. You’ll see in the photos a platform the team built up at site and then later lifted on top of the columns – this is so they can safely access and pour the columns and construct the headstocks.
Pier C: All four piles were drilled and poured – it’s the last set for the new bridge. These piles have been cropped and the team will start placing the steel columns and temporary works for a concrete pour planned later this week.
Offsite: The first set of steel bridge girders have been coated and are ready to leave Napier. The bridge girders are due to be delivered to site early October. This set of girders will be lifted and placed between Abutment A and Pier B, forming the base of the bridge deck.
SH25 and SH25A maintenance and recovery work
Day-to-day state highway road maintenance activities will be worked on around the Coromandel starting from Thames, in a clockwise direction. These activities include pre reseal repairs for the upcoming renewals programme – which can be either road rebuilding, resealing or resurfacing.
Our contractor is getting a second chipseal crew ready to do the eastern side of SH25A Taparahi, to ensure these activities are finished before the bridge is completed and the road reopens. Plans are in place to do the western side, between Kōpū and Taparahi, in November.
Our asphalt crew is currently in Morrinsville, completing three sites back-to-back. Then, later in October, the crew will head to the Coromandel where a significant amount of asphalt works are planned for Thames and the East Coast.
If you’re out on the road, please keep an eye out for our traffic management and crew who are doing pre-sealing repairs. Other areas around SH25 you can expect to see traffic management include:
Thornton Bay – Clearing and constructing coastal erosion protection structures.
Ruamahunga Bay – Clearing slip material, investigating, stabilising and clearing vegetation.
Manaia Hill slip – One lane only, investigation ongoing.
Te Kouma Hill slip –Traffic management for ongoing investigation.
Kūaotunu slip – One lane only, investigation ongoing.
Bad Boss culvert slip – Traffic management for ongoing investigation
Wharekaho slip – One lane only, investigation ongoing.
Coroglen slip – Works started to repair slip.
Pumpkin Hill slip – Traffic management for ongoing investigation.
Tramway Gully slip – Traffic management for ongoing investigation.
Whiritoa Hill slip – Traffic management for ongoing investigation.
