The 137-year-old existing single-lane bridge forms an important link on SH8 between Dunedin, Central Otago and Queenstown, but it is no longer well suited to today’s higher traffic volumes, or the larger and heavier trucks regularly using this route.
Construction on the new bridge began in January this year and is expected to be completed by HEB Construction in late 2023.
The two-lane bridge will be 195 metres long, formed by curved steel girders, supported by four piers sitting about 12 metres above the average river level. Designed to modern earthquake standards, it will connect people, products and places. Safety barriers will be fitted on the road approaches and the bridge will incorporate a shared walking and cycling path.
Waka Kotahi/NZ Transport Agency advised today that, to keep everyone safe while the bridge’s western approach is being built, road users will be diverted to Dee St and Westferry St from Monday, November 14.
The bridge’s HEB crew aims to complete all the main road connections to the new bridge over the summer construction season.
The western approach construction involves a full dig out and rebuild of the existing highway past the Beaumont Hotel and it is hoped this work will be finished in mid-December.
For the month of the diversion to Dee St and Westferry St, people should build in an extra five minutes to their journeys.
The Dee St diversion is approved for all vehicles (including 50Max, HPMV, Overweight and Over-dimension).
Traffic is also expected to move on to the new eastern embankment from this Friday, allowing the crew to shift fill into the area between the embankment and the new bridge’s eastern abutment.
