Another milestone has been reached with the final concrete deck pour on the new Atiamuri Bridge this month, as the project moves towards its March/April 2013 completion date.
The $24M Atiamuri Bridge Replacement project has been underway since November 2011. The new bridge is about 75 metres upstream of the current bridge on State Highway 1 (SH1), South Waikato.
SH1 is a significant freight route and the new bridge will ensure route security and improve safety, reliability and access along this section of highway. The completion of the new bridge is also expected to bring regional and national benefits while stimulating economic growth locally and New Zealand-wide.
The new bridge will feature a wider bridge carriageway with two 3.5 m lanes and 1.5m shoulders. The project also includes the:
A 50 km/h temporary speed limit has been in place on the existing Atiamuri Bridge while the new bridge is being built. "We have had issues in recent months with some motorists speeding through the construction area, creating a hazard to themselves, other road users and our construction crew," says Acting Projects Service Manager, Peter Murphy.
"With increased holiday traffic on our roads in the summer months, we’d like to remind people to stick to the temporary speed limit and take care when driving through this project’s construction area – and we thank those motorists who are already doing so."
Progress on this project can be viewed using three construction ‘web-cameras’, each of which has a timelapse feature showing progress since construction began. The webcams can be viewed online along with project updates, photos and other information at www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/atiamuri-bridge.
