Manawatu¯ bridge takes form
The shape of a $70 million Manawatu¯ River crossing is starting to emerge from the mud.
The project replaces the Manawatu¯ River Bridge near Foxton and the nearby Whirokino Trestle across the floodplain on State Highway 1, bringing them up to modern safety standards.
Most of the 36 giant concrete piles that will hold the bridge up have been driven into place parallel to the existing SH1 bridge, and the first of the 66-tonne concrete beams was lifted into place last week.
Work has also begun shifting 450,000 cubic metres of sand.
‘‘It’s coming along quite nicely. Most of the beams have been delivered and are sitting there now. It’s starting to look like a bridge now,’’ NZ Transport Agency regional systems manager Ross I’anson said.
Two weeks of delays caused by June storms and flooding were being reeled back in, I’anson said. Additional staff were recruited to help make up the time.
The bridges are due to be ready for traffic late next year, with demolition of the old bridge and full completion of the project by mid-2020.
It will mean vehicles weighing more than 44 tonnes will no longer have to take a 14-kilometre detour.
In May, ko¯iwi – old human remains, thought to be Ma¯ ori – were found about 800 metres from the river during digging on a farm to provide sand for the site. Work was shut down in the area while the find was examined, reburied and blessed.
The contract was awarded to Fletcher Construction in December 2016.
A willow wetland area had to be checked in case any species needed to be moved to the river, but nothing was found, Fletcher community liaison officer Lisa Mcmillan said.
Planting for a new wetland area nearby is planned later in the project.
‘‘It’s coming along quite nicely. Most of the beams have been delivered and are sitting there now. It’s starting to look like a bridge now.’’ Ross I’anson,
Agency New Zealand Transport