The Government has committed to building a bridge to replace State Highway 25A after it was severely damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary flooding. Video / NZ Herald
Construction of a bridge to reconnect the Coromandel Peninsula will begin in the next fortnight, Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan announced this morning.
State Highway 25A was severely damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary flooding.
The Government announced last month that a bridge would be the fastest, most resilient way forward and would commit funding, an estimated $30 to 40 million, straight away.
Allan said the design was for a 110-metre, three-span composite bridge with a concrete sub-structure, steel superstructure, and pre-cast concrete deck.
A preferred tender had been selected by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, a joint venture between McConnell Dowell and Fulton Hogan, supported by Beca and Tonkin and Taylor.
“Their methodology is to build a simple bridge, using off-the-shelf designs, that can be partly fabricated off-site,” Allan said.
The road was severely damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary flooding.
“This safe and efficient construction approach means the road will reopen sooner than otherwise might be possible.
“It’s simple and quick to build, and utilises readily-available materials, removing an otherwise-lengthy delay to get construction materials into the country.
“While the final cost and exact timeframe are still being worked through, announcing the construction team today means the design work and site establishment can progress imminently.”
Work would get under way on the ground within the next fortnight.
“The first job will be to establish site offices and build all-weather access tracks for the machinery required. The project team has access to a vast in-house equipment fleet, including a variety of cranes, which also ensures they can fast-track the process,” Allan said.
“We appreciate how vital it is to reconnect this lifeline. The storm damage to the Coromandel roading network is having a massive impact on travel time, cost, and quality of life for the people who live, work and visit this beautiful region.”
Then-Transport Minister Michael Wood last month said he estimated the project would be finished by early 2024 and that the Government would be exploring seven-day work weeks and working “around the clock” to get the highway open as soon as possible.
Wood described the road as a “lifeline” for people who travel across the peninsula for work or school.
SH25A was closed at the summit on Friday, January 27, to ensure the safety of road users, when deep cracks formed in the road after ex-Cyclone Hale.
The cracked section of the road at the summit then slipped away during the Auckland Anniversary storm event.
