1Designed to take traffic around Taupo’s centre, the East Taupo Arterial route was a long awaited development – it was first put forward some 40 years ago. The project incorporates a number of bridges, including a 150m crossing over the Waikato River and a 440m composite steel ladder deck bridge across the geothermal steam pipelines feeding the Wairakei Power Station.

Working in close partnership with the lead consultant, our bridge engineers helped develop tender designs for all the structures, and provided detailed design documentation and construction phase technical support for the Waikato River Bridge and Broadlands Road Bridge.

2The Waikato River Bridge – a thorny challenge due to the bank conditions and the volume and speed of the water below – also needed to minimise the environmental impact on the river and near surrounds. Lengthening of the conforming design main span from 83m to 100m allowed the piers to be removed from the river bed, as well as negating the need to re-shape the river banks. This was a significant benefit to the project as it ensured the river’s mauri (life force) was respected – an approach that earned the approval of the local iwi. Further to that, the construction of the bridge was completed by a combination of launching and lifting from each side of the river, eliminating the need for any temporary works in the river bed.