Tauranga Harbour Link Project

I had an errand to run in Mt Maunganui this morning and was excited to use a brand new on-ramp onto the brand new viaduct that connects to the brand new harbour bridge. Since Christmas I have watched as concete towers have risen like mushrooms, capped and connected with broad concrete beams, onto which the carriageway sections were placed: like a giant Leggo set. The new harbour bridge was particularly interesting as it was poured/formed in a shed on one side and each week, a new section was added and the bridge was pushed out onto the support piers that rise from the harbour floor.

The Western Bay of Plenty region is one of New Zealand’s fastest growing areas, and Tauranga city is now the country’s sixth largest population centre. The existing Harbour Bridge was built in 1988, and it was a tolled route until 2001. Improving access between Mt Maunganui and Tauranga; addressing the needs of the Port of Tauranga; and providing for rapidly increasing traffic flows have exercised local and national planners ever since the first bridge was built. Today 36,000 vehicles a day cross the bridge. This is likely to grow to about 59,000 vehicles on the existing bridge, which has an ideal capacity of about 29,000 vehicles per day.

The Harbour Link Project is a massive engineering project that involves building a duplicate harbour bridge; and improving access to the two bridges via a viaduct across several roads and railway track on the Tauranga side, and widening the main road (double lanes and bus lane) on the Mt Maunganui side. In addition pedestrian and cycle paths have been incorporated in the design from the outset.

I want to make special mention of Fletchers Construction Ltd who are building this project. In particular to acknowledge their meticulous planning for safety in a complex environment: over water, roads and railway lines where they are concerned not only about the safety of their own staff, but also for the general public who move around and through the costruction zone. Those 36,000 cars continue to flow throughout the project. I have gotten to know Mark Taylor, the Health and Safety Coordinator, and have witnessed his innovative methods for 'embedding' safety in the minds and conduct of every employee - well done Mark.

For newcomers to Tauranga (like me) this is an awesome project; to the older born-and-bred population that has watched Tauranga flourish from what was not-so-long-ago a 'retirement village and holiday beach community' it must be mind-numbing. Such are the challenges facing the City: the realities of a growing population; changing demographic; the demands for economic development; arts and culture; education; and sports and leisure. It is an exciting place to live because it is our city our future.