'Stunning' bridge over Waikato River takes shape after final girder goes in

13 October 2022

Hamilton's newest bridge will start to take proper shape over the next few weeks as contractors build out the deck on the one-of-a-kind piece of infrastructure.

The final girder was installed this week and work is moving onto creating the bridge deck.

Hamilton City Council’s executive director strategic infrastructure Andrew Parsons said people will now be able to see the final form of the bridge structure.

“It is very large, but that is because it’s been designed from the outset to provide for new sustainable transport options going into the future. So it’s got four traffic lanes on it, bus lanes provisions and car lane provisions. It also has walking and cycling provisions on both sides of the bridge, and they’re very wide as well, much wider than we’ve got on any of our existing bridges, so it makes it a fairly large bridge.”

Thin concrete panels are now slowly being added to the top of the bridge.

“They’ll essentially form the base for the deck proper to go in place. And then a concrete deck that will get poured across the top, and then from there they’ll systematically be working through details like handrails, barrier systems and lighting and things like that.”

Parson’s said there are other aspects associated with the bridge that are going to be as spectacular as the bridge itself.

“On the north side there is a walking cycling bridge that goes over the bridge into Peacocke, and that is being fabricated on site at the moment and towards the end of this month it will be lifted into place over the river bridge as a single place."

That’s likely to happen at the end of the month which will link Cobham Dr in the gardens across the bridge and into the Te Awa cycle path.

“It’s quite a neat bridge as it has a curve in it, it’s not a boring straight bridge, and it’s at quite an elevated level, so you get this fantastic vista south into Peacocke and then up and down the alignment of the river.”

Also going up next month will be the top of the artwork which will sit alongside the infrastructure.

“There are already two concrete columns rising up which are about 12 metres tall, and there are extensions which will double their height.”

It does mean the large crane which has been working on the bridge will be packed up and moved on in the near future, once the 80 tonne pedestrian bridge is in place.

“I think it’s going to look visually stunning, and I think it will be quite iconic. There will be nothing else like it in Hamilton.”

In June, it was confirmed that inflation and covid-related costs will push the bill for bridge up by $20 million from $140m to $160.2m. The bridge is expected to be completed mid to late 2023.

For more information, please go to the Stuff article here.