News & Media Releases

Screens for Tauranga’s Harbour Bridge

Tauranga Office
December 6, 2007

Sight screens are to be installed on the western side of the existing Harbour Bridge as part of Transit New Zealand’s Harbour Link Project.

Transit project manager Kevin Reid said installation of the screens will minimise distraction for motorists during construction of the new Harbour Bridge.

Installation of the screens will take place over three nights, beginning on Tuesday December 11. Traffic on the bridge will be reduced to one lane with Stop-Go traffic management in place. Motorists should expect delays during this time.

Work is almost complete on the access platform for the new Harbour Bridge. This platform is a temporary bridge, which will allow piling rigs and cranes access to the new pile locations within the harbour.

Because of the need to maintain a navigation channel through Stella Passage under the existing bridge the platform will be built in two stages. The first stage will extend from the Tauranga embankment to just over half way across the harbour, and once piles on the Tauranga side are installed, the platform will be removed and rebuilt from the Mount Maunganui side.

Mr Reid said construction machinery and materials make the platform unsafe for public access. Boat owners should keep a distance of at least 10 metres from the platform. Buoys have been placed in the navigation channel by the Harbour Master to remind boaties of the 5 knot speed limit through this area.< /p>

Meanwhile the Waikareao walkway from the pedestrian overbridge on Takitimu Dr to Chapel St has been closed while the Chapel St eastbound off-ramp is being constructed.

Pedestrians are being diverted over the footbridge or across Chapel St to the footpath below the Tauranga Domain. The closure will be in place until around May 2008.

NEWS MEDIA: For further information, contact:

Kevin Reid

Transit's Harbour Link Project Manager

Ph 07 927 6008 or 021 2856512

www.smarttransport.org.nz

Back to news index