Auckland Harbour Bridge box girder strengthening starts this Sunday (3 August). The box girders (the two 'clip-on' lanes either side of the bridge) are being strengthened to enable the bridge to continue meeting the needs of the growing Auckland region.
Auckland Harbour Bridge box girder strengthening starts this Sunday (3 August). The box girders (the two 'clip-on' lanes either side of the bridge) are being strengthened to enable the bridge to continue meeting the needs of the growing Auckland region.
Over the next two-and-a-half years around 760 tonnes of steel will be welded and bolted onto both the inside and outside of the girders.
Work will start on the northbound clip-on first and will run through to Christmas followed by annual resealing. As a result, northbound clip-on lanes (lanes one and two) will be closed Saturday to Thursday nights, from around 9pm until early morning. Curran Street on-ramp will also be closed at these times.
These temporary closures will avoid extra loading while the steel is fixed in place and keep the box girder stable for welding and measuring.
Road signs will advise motorists of the changes and there has also been advance information to residents, national and local newspapers and on the internet and radio.
Trucks over 13 tonnes will not be using the northbound clip-on lanes and Curran Street on-ramp day or night between now and December. Trucks over 13 tonnes and more than 2.7 metres wide (excluding mirrors) should use the Upper Harbour Bridge detour between 5am and 10am Monday to Friday.
The strengthening project will take approximately two-and-a-half years to complete. Teams will work around the clock as required to complete the project. Work will start on the three northern spans, between August 2008 and December 2009. Strengthening will then begin on the southbound side.
Northbound strengthening will be followed by the normal Christmas bridge resealing when traffic volumes are at their lowest.
Contact information:
Joseph Flanagan
Northern Network Operations Manager
Telephone: 09 368 2000
Email: joseph.flanagan@nzta.govt.nz
