Major West Auckland bridge to be out of action at night

The Royal Rd bridge over State Highway 16 will be closed most nights for four weeks, starting from tomorrow - although local detours will be in place. Image / NZTA

A major West Auckland bridge will be regularly out of action for late-night motorists over the next few weeks, in the latest part of a three-year, $110 million motorway upgrade.

The NZ Transport Agency was warning travellers the Royal Rd bridge over State Highway 16 would be closed most nights for four weeks, starting from tomorrow – although local detours would be in place.

The night closures would take place between 8pm and 5am on Sundays and Thursdays, but was weather dependent and could be cancelled at short notice, acting senior project delivery manager Karen Boyt said.

"The new bridge at Royal Rd has greater height clearance over the motorway than the one it replaced," she said.

"The closures are to allow the road on the eastern side and the on ramp to the motorway to be built up to the same height as the bridge."

The Makora Rd intersection on the western side of the bridge has already been completed.

Once the final road seal has been laid on the bridge, the three vehicle lanes would be moved to allow construction of walking and cycling paths across the bridge.

There would also be an on-road cycleway and a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians which was raised and separated from the road.

The new bridge, scheduled for completion by August, was part of the SH16 Lincoln Rd to Westgate project to help the Northwestern motorway support expected growth in the western suburbs and increased traffic using the Western Ring Route.