Cost of repairs to harbour bridge may reach $2 million

AUCKLAND: The bill to repair the Auckland Harbour Bridge after a truck toppled over and damaged a strut on September 18 may reach $2 million.

The NZ Transport Agency said yesterday it was still finalising the costs, which include designing, fabricating and installing the temporary and permanent beams, as well as labour and traffic control.

The bridge was closed after a 127kmh gust of wind blew a truck into a metal support strut, damaging the bridge and forcing the closure of four of its eight lanes.

The winds also tipped another truck on its side.

Four of the bridge's eight lanes were closed, bringing chaos to the city's road network that evening.

A second bout of strong winds barrelling through Waitemata Harbour at close to 100kmh brought more delays to motorists a few days later when authorities temporarily closed the bridge.

The permanent fix included a 22.7m strut reaching from the bridge overarching to the bridge deck.

The bridge was restored to 100% capacity on October 6. — The New Zealand Herald