Two eye-catching expressway footbridges

WALK THIS WAY: An artist's concept of the Leinster Ave footbridge.

Two sleek, high-gloss black steel pedestrian footbridges, with a sculptural look to them, will be created over the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway.

A 232 metre long footbridge will be created in the vicinity of Leinster Ave, in Raumati South, and a 50 metre long footbridge in the vicinity of Makarini St, Paraparaumu.

Both bridges were identified during the Board of Inquiry process as important to provide more east-west connections within the network of road and paths.

The expressway Alliance has been working with Auckland-based architectural firms Monk Mackenzie and Warren and Mahoney to design the footbridges.

Consultation has been held with communities directly affected, with Alliance project manager Alan Orange saying "we're really pleased with their response to the designs, which has been overwhelmingly positive".

Architect Dean Mackenzie said final details were being drawn up.

"We went though many versions.

"Some highly sculptural, some highly standard, and we think this is pitched just about right and meets all the requirements without being gold plated.

"We tried to design both bridges as simple, fluid, three-dimensional elegant curves, so when you look at it, it's kind of sculptural.

"We used kind of an illusion, and I don't want to overstate it, of an eel, which is a native species in the area -- we liked the sleekness, and we liked black.

"And by making both pedestrian bridges black, they would be of the same family, and would be in contrast to the road bridges which are concrete and white."

The Leinster Ave bridge is longer because more work is needed to rise it out of the ground, whereas the Makarini bridge uses more of the natural landscape.

Both bridges have a concrete structure but have high-gloss black metal balustrades and skin around them.

The bridges have been designed with crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles in mind and in consultation with a CPTED independent consultant.

There are light poles at the ends of each bridge, LED lighting in the handrails to illuminate the deck and also provide some reflective lighting, and good visual connection from the bottom to the top of the path.

Mr Mackenzie said a key factor was ensuring privacy for Makarini St residents.

"You really won't see the bridge from the surrounds.

"It's more a bridge you see from the highway.

"As you descend through it, there will be a screen of trees.

"If you're a resident, you would not see people because they will be behind a tree line."

Mr Orange said, "As a keen runner and cyclist, I'm looking forward to getting out an about on the new cycleway, walkway bridleway and connecting footbridges.

"I think it's going to be a lot of fun and a great way to explore this beautiful part of the country."

Work on the foundations for the bridges will start later in the year, with completion by the end of next year. Cost for both bridges is about $6 million.