Harbour Bridge lanes could be shut for weeks after crash
Four lanes of the Auckland Harbour Bridge could be shut for weeks after it received structural damage following a truck crash.
Two trucks were caught up in a 127 kilometre per hour wind gust about 11.10am yesterday.
One of the trucks toppled, while the other was blown sideways, hitting the bridge’s superstructure, before righting itself.
The toppled truck belonged to courier service Castle Parcels. General manager Michael Claydo said the driver was taken to hospital for a checkup and was ‘‘shaken’’ but not badly hurt.
The incident saw traffic on the northern motorway at gridlock well into the afternoon.
New Zealand Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) senior journey manager Neil
Walker said the second truck sheared off a steel upright when it struck the bridge.
The bridge is expected to have a significant reduction in capacity for several days and possibly weeks, with only the two outside lanes open in each direction.
‘‘Our first assessment of the structural damage is that a permanent fix will be a long-term process and the four lanes across the centre span of the bridge will remain closed to traffic for at least several days and potentially weeks,’’ Walker said.
NZTA is looking into whether a temporary repair is possible, however this won’t be known until the weekend.
Walker added that there were no concerns regarding the bridge’s overall integrity and safety.
‘‘Congestion on the road network is inevitable as we assess the damage and the necessary repairs.’’
On average, more than 170,000 vehicles cross the bridge on weekdays.