A selection of videos to give you an insight into the construction of Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatu Tararua Highway.
For other project videos giving a more in-depth look at this highway's progress, please see our Youtube playlist:
Te Ahu a Turanga video playlist(external link)
Aerial flyovers
September 2024
This month you can see significant progress has been made on construction of the pavement, with asphalt now covering more than half of the alignment. You can also see Parahaki Bridge get closer to completion, with almost all the bridge deck segments now complete.
July 2024
This month's flyover you'll see a lot of progress has been made by the pavement crews, with most of the highway now covered with pavement aggregate. You'll also see some big milestones have been reached on the two main bridges, and thousands of new plants that have been planted by the landscaping teams.
May 2024
In this month's flyover you'll see layers of black asphalt for the first time, a sign pavement work is in full swing. At Parahaki Bridge, the bridge deck between the south abutment and the 1st pier is almost connected, which is a huge milestone for this 300-metre long structure. We've also put the first flyover we did back in May 2021 in the corner of the screen, so you can see just how much has been achieved over the past three years.
March 2024
Check out the latest drone flyover of Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway! With major earthworks completed – and just some minor finishing touches to go – the main highway alignment is fully formed and ready for pavement construction to ramp up. You’ll also see huge progress has been made on Parahaki and Eco-Viaduct bridges, as well as the roundabouts at each end. Construction manager Mike Cassaidy provides the commentary for this flight.
December 2023
Check out the construction progress on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway with the last flyover of 2023. Since the last flyover, you’ll see six bridge deck segments have been constructed at Parahaki Bridge; all 42 beams are now in place at Eco-Viaduct bridge; and the last remaining fills are close to completion. Project Director Tony Adams provides the commentary for this flight.
October 2023
Lots of exciting changes to see on the latest flyover of Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway! Since the last flyover in August, the form traveller has been installed on Pier 1 at Parahaki Bridge, allowing construction of the superstructure (the part of the bridge the road goes on) to commence. Bulk earthworks are nearing completion, with just 250,000 cubic metres left, while pavement construction continues on finished sections. Sam Jacques, an engineer at Eco-Viaduct, provides the commentary for this flight.
August 2023
This is the latest flyover of Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway. Highlights since the May flyover include the opening of a new local road at the Ashhurst end, the start of superstructure construction on Parahaki Bridge and the the laying of the initial road surface layers in areas where earthworks is completed. Site ecologist Caitlin Lavery provides commentary for this flight, pointing out the essential work the Ecology, Environmental and Kaitiaki teams do on the project.
May 2023
There’s been some big changes since the last flyover in March. With earthworks now completed in many areas, the road is really starting to take shape. Huge progress is also being made on our major bridges – you can now see 18 beams in place on the Eco-Viaduct, while the middle pier at Parahaki Bridge is now complete. Zone 2 & 3 manager Geoff Nijhuis provides the commentary for this flight.
March 2023
This latest flyover of Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway, shows the amazing progress made since the last flight in December. With earthworks nearing completion across the site you’ll see the highway alignment taking shape, while good progress continues to be made on the structures. Commentary is provided by Kaye Allardice-Green, the project’s registered nurse and Health and Wellbeing Lead, who provides updates on construction progress while also talking about Te Ahu a Turanga’s unique approach to health and wellbeing.
December 2022
On this flight you’ll see there’s been a lot of progress from the last flyover in September. Zone 4 manager David Scrimgeour provides commentary.
Landscaping season is about to get underway - May 2023
The team are starting the mammoth task of putting 420,000 plants in the ground between now and October. This season is especially exciting as it’s the first to see planting next to the highway itself. Check out the video to see how offset sites planted 18 months ago are now thriving. The hard mahi of the landscaping teams is a huge part of the project’s intention to minimise the environmental impact of the construction progress, leaving the environment in a better condition than when it started.
Te Ahu a Turanga construction progress to March 2023
There’s been incredible progress on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway since construction started in January 2021 – this montage video of flyover footage from key areas across the site will give you a sense of the scale of work.
Iwi partnership on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway
Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway is pioneering a new way of partnering with iwi on major infrastructure projects in New Zealand. The project has embedded iwi at all levels, from governance through to operations, ensuring five local iwi are involved in making decisions about what matters to them. In this video members of the team share the benefits of the partnership and what it means for the day-to-day construction of the highway.
Looking after a pipit nest onsite at Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway
Our ecology team on the Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway project are busy not only looking after our native plants, but animals too! Caitlin, one of the project’s site ecologists, takes us to where she found a pipit nest on the construction site, and shares some interesting insights into the behaviours of these feisty little birds.
Opening the door: the project offering amazing opportunities to young people
23 July 2017 slip
Aerial footage of slips which closed State Highway 3 along the Manawatū Gorge on 24 April 2017.
