The installation of 10 large precast pier sections for a bridge spanning Oakley Creek is a milestone in the construction of the Waterview Shared Path.
A 450-tonne crane stacked five concrete sections on top of each other to construct two piers of the Alford Street Bridge.
The operation was performed at night, when winds are generally lighter and less likely to cause safety issues.
Largest of three bridges on shared path
The Alford Street Bridge is 90m long and 16m high, making it the largest of the three bridges being built on the shared path connecting Waterview and Mt Albert.
It is jointly funded by the NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport (AT) and Albert-Eden Local Board as part of the $1.4 billion Waterview Connection project.
The Waterview Shared Path will open progressively after each bridge is completed. The remaining two bridges, the Phyllis to Harbutt Boardwalk and the Soljak Place Bridge, are due to be finished in 2017.
Unique design elements
The Alford Street Bridge’s handrail will have LEDs to light the bridge at night.
Māori designs from mana whenua artists will be added to the bridge piers to reflect the movement of the water in the stream running below.
About the Waterview Shared Path
The Waterview Shared Path is 3.5m wide shared cycling and walking path that follows Oakley Creek between the Alan Wood Reserve in Mt Albert and Great North Road in Waterview. Its low hill gradients make it accessible for people of all abilities.
It will join with other shared paths that are part of the Government's Urban Cycleway Programme such as the Northwestern Cycleway in the northern (Waterview) end of the Waterview Connection and the New Lynn to Avondale Shared Path and Southwestern Shared Path alongside State Highway 20.
