Manawatū-Tararua highway putting rangatahi skills to the test

A grader smooths out freshly laid aggregate on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway.

Grant Kauri, owner interface manager, Waka Kotahi. Photo / RNZ

Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway’s project staff put the engineering skills of rangatahi throughout the region to the test during a series of Stemm workshops this month.

Organised by Pūhoro Stemm, which supports Māori students to develop skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Mātauranga Māori, the workshops, held at Awapuni Function Centre in Palmerston North on June 7, gave two groups of Year 13 rangatahi the challenge of building a bridge out of basic craft materials.

Five engineers were on hand to support the students as they figured out how to design a structure that would support a large toy car.

Using ice block sticks, tape, pipe cleaners, pins and paper, the engineers helped the students learn basic principles of bridge building, such as using triangles for strength.

By the end of the sessions, the students were delighted as they all successfully built a bridge.

One student said they learned that in civil engineering: “there are different [career] pathways, not just building bridges. I enjoyed building the bridge and working with different students as it brought out confidence among us.”

Another student said: “The activity was fun, especially because we won, and it was cool to see what types of mahi [engineers] get up to.”

Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway supports Pūhoro Stemm by sponsoring events like this Wānanga, and also providing internships for rangatahi to gain real-world experience on the project.

The work of Pūhoro aligns with the project’s principle of Enduring Community Outcomes; creating opportunities that benefit the community long after the project is finished.

Construction Update

Pavement construction is now under way on the main highway alignment.

Aggregate is being laid and graded in Fill 9, one of the areas where earthworks are completed.

About 450,000 tonnes of aggregate will be used over the next 18 months to build the highway. That’s about 16,000 truckloads of material.

With just 300,000 cubic metres of earth left to be moved – out of a total of 6 million – the teams are on track to complete bulk earthworks this year.

At the Woodville end of the project, work has started on the construction of the mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) walls for the Mangamanaia Stream Bridge.

Work continues on Fill 22, the section of the highway between the bridge and the new Woodville roundabout. Construction of the roundabout is expected to start this year, after Fill 22 is completed.

For more information about the project, head to www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/te-ahu-a-turanga/ or visit the Woodville Community Library and Information Centre for the latest flyover, project updates and the Drive the Highway simulator.