Infrastructure - Tauranga Bridge
Smooth Sailing Ahead for Tauranga Bridge
Firth expects to supply 36,000m³ of concrete during the life of one of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure projects, the $255 million Tauranga Bridge.
Stage One of the Tauranga Bridge completed in 2007, included the four-laning of Hewletts Road on the Mount Maunganui side of the harbour, from Jean Batten Drive to the old toll plaza.
Stage Two of the $130.8 million bridge and flyover, being constructed by Fletcher Construction for Transit New Zealand, is well under way. To service the demands of the project, Firth has established a mobile batching plant at Mount Maunganui’s Sulphur Point, and purchased four new trucks.
Already the project has seen a number of 'firsts'. The first T-Roff viaduct bridge beam has been poured; the first pile has been constructed in the Tauranga Harbour for the new harbour bridge; and the first columns have been poured for the viaduct.
With ground improvements completed, progress on the new harbour bridge casting shed is also becoming visible. The casting shed will house the bridge segment mould that will produce the 20 metre long segments for the new bridge. These will be launched from the Tauranga side of the harbour across the 11 columns to reach the causeway on the Mount Maunganui side.
While there is still a lot of work to do, research and development of the mixes is now complete. Stage Two of the project is on target for completion in late 2010.
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