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Engineers have been working “around the clock” to ensure that the new 22.7 meter strut for the Auckland Harbor Bridge is ready for installation this weekend.
On September 18, the bridge was severely damaged when a strange gust of wind caused a truck to hit it.
Motorists have faced delays due to lane closures associated with the damage.
WAKA KOTAHI NZ TRANSPORTATION AGENCY / Supplied
Engineers working to prepare the prop for installation.
Last week, a temporary repair to the damaged strut meant that three lanes could be opened in each direction.
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Now, work is progressing to install the permanent solution by Saturday night.
The new strut is being manufactured in Whangārei of Northland by Culham Engineering.
Managing Director Rob Kirwan said progress was going well and his team had been “working around the clock” to complete it.
Kirwan said it was a “legacy” for the trainees who participated in the project.
WAKA KOTAHI NZ TRANSPORTATION AGENCY / Supplied
The strut should be installed on Saturday night.
He said that they had realized that it was very important to the people of Auckland and that they were proud to be involved in such “high profile work”.
The Waka Kotahi NZ Transportation Agency said the strut had been coated and painted on Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday they would see the components bolted together before being transported to Auckland on Saturday morning.
If the good weather continues, it will be installed on Saturday night.
To allow the first stage of the work to happen on Saturday, all southbound lanes of the bridge into the city center will be closed overnight starting at 9 p.m. Saturday and reopened at mid-morning on Sunday.
Southbound SH1 entrance ramps from Esmonde and Onewa Rd will also be closed.
WAKA KOTAHI NZ TRANSPORTATION AGENCY / Supplied
The new strut is being manufactured in Whangārei of Northland by Culham Engineering.
One southbound lane and one northbound lane on the bridge will also close from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday to prepare the site for night work.
NZTA Transportation Services General Manager Brett Gliddon said the agency was warning Auckland residents that it will not be possible to travel across the bridge into the city center on Saturday night.
Gliddon said he understood that this would cause inconvenience, but that lane closures were needed so that engineers could safely perform their jobs.
“If all goes well with the installation on Saturday night, more closures will be needed on other nights next week to carry out the all-important tensioning work.
“This involves raising the new strut to the required level for it to carry cargo again, redistributing the load throughout the entire bridge structure. Only then can all lanes be reopened safely. “
