Auckland Harbour Bridge: City-bound lanes close overnight

Saturday, 3 October 2020

The new harbour bridge strut is loaded on a truck to be delivered to Auckland.

All city-bound lanes on the Auckland Harbour Bridge are closed overnight to allow replacement of a damaged strut, causing heavy congestion on both ends of the bridge.

The newly made 22.7-metre replacement strut started out on its way on Saturday from Whāngarei to Auckland, being transported in two pieces.

From 5pm Saturday, the southbound and northbound lanes in the centre of the bridge closed to allow the temporary strut that was installed to be removed.

The Auckland Harbour Bridge will be closed to traffic heading south from the North Shore on Saturday night.

From 9pm, the two southbound clip-on lanes closed and would remain so until mid-morning on Sunday, while the new, permanent support is installed.

Traffic near the Harbour Bridge was heavily congested about 6pm, after the first lanes were closed ahead of the permanent strut being installed overnight.

Cars trying to cross the Harbour Bridge were at a stand-still about 6.30pm on Saturday. Photo taken at the Wellington St on-ramp.

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The new strut is loaded up on an articulated flat-bed truck before being taken to Auckland for installation.

* Motorcyclists and high-sided vehicles urged to avoid Auckland Harbour Bridge

Southbound motorway on-ramps at Esmonde Rd and Onewa Rd were also closed from 8.30pm on Saturday.

Waka Kotahi NZTA general manager of transport services Brett Gliddon.

Motorists are asked to use the Western Ring Route.

On Saturday, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said both pieces of the strut weighed “several tonnes” and were making the 160km journey from Northland on an articulated flat-bed truck.

“The strut has been fabricated from New Zealand-made steel in Whangārei as a like-for-like replacement and has been painted to match the rest of the bridge superstructure.”

The strut was severely damaged after a bridge was blown into it by a freak gust of wind.

The closures follow damage that resulted when a freak gust of wind caused a truck to hit the bridge just over two weeks ago.

The harbour bridge strut is being manufactured in Whangārei and should be installed this weekend.

At around 11am on September 18, a 127kmh wind blew the truck into the bridge and damaged its structure.

Last week, a temporary strut was installed on the bridge to allow more lanes to reopen and ease heavy congestion that was causing issues for motorists.

A permanent fix has been built by Culham Engineering in Whangārei and delivered to Auckland for installation.

The transport agency said the only thing that would stop Saturday night’s installation would be weather – but it was looking good.

“The freak event that damaged the bridge strut was unprecedented in the bridge’s 61-year history and has resulted in a significant impact on its users and a large response effort,” general manager of transport services Brett Gliddon said.

“On Saturday night the engineers plan to replace the temporary strut which was installed last week. The permanent strut will be 22.7 metres long and will reach from the bridge overarch to the bridge deck.”

Once installed, re-tensioning will need to take place on another night that is yet to be decided.

This would require further lane closures.

“We are confident we have left nothing to chance, checking and re-checking the weight-bearing calculations and then getting our detailed plan peer-reviewed by bridge experts overseas. However, there are still many things that all need to go right on the night,” Gliddon said.

“We know the reduced capacity has been disruptive, and we’re grateful for the patience and support we’ve had as we work as quickly and safely as possible to make a permanent repair to the bridge that will open all eight lanes.”

Buses from the North Shore to the city will stop at Akoranga bus station from 8.15pm on Saturday, Auckland Transport said.

It will then provide a shuttle service from the station to and from the Birkenhead ferry wharf where additional ferry services will be available.

Saturday evening

From Birkenhead to Downtown ferry terminal:

Standard timetable then extra ferry sailings departing every 30 minutes from 8.45pm until last departure at 12.15am

From Downtown ferry terminal to Birkenhead:

Standard timetable then extra ferry sailings departing every 30 minutes from 8:30pm until last departure at 12am

Sunday morning

From Birkenhead to Downtown ferry terminal:

Ferry sailings departing approximately every 30 minutes from 6.30am, then back to the standard timetable from 9.35am.

From Downtown ferry terminal to Birkenhead:

Ferry sailings departing approximately every 30 minutes from 6.15am, then back to the standard timetable from 9.10am.