What a third bridge for Cambridge might look like

Tuesday, 5 March 2024

Victoria Bridge Cambridge could become a pedestrian and bicycle bridge only when there’s a suitable replacement.

Plans are afoot to reshape the Cambridge’s transport system over coming decades and a new bridge to the centre is a big part of it.

The district council is hoping to secure funding to improve its transport, include building a third bridge, and public feedback will help them shape a compelling business case.

Waipā district mayor Susan O’Regan said the business case will be wider than just a bridge and the project will define how people move around Cambridge for decades to come.

Waipā District Council transportation manager Bryan Hudson said the third bridge is part of the plan to maintain Cambridge’s residential environment.

District council transportation manager Bryan Hudson said they are envisioning an ambitious form of transport that will protect the residential environment as the proposal will have wider impact than just roads.

“I think people would value quieter streets and nicer looking streets than big roads.”

Three plans were designed and one plan stood out as the preferred option. It’s now out for public feedback till March 29.

The option includes making main streets safer for walking and cycling, reducing congestion, more buses to Hamilton and a bus in Cambridge.

The proposals assume that more people, particularly elderly, will live in Waipā - 60% more by 2051 (compared to 2018) while the number of over 65s is expected to double.

Victoria Bridge has a remaining life estimate of 25 to 30 years. Once a new bridge is built, it will retire to a walking and cycling only bridge.

As a result, the town bridges will hit capacity in 30 years.

Today, 28,100 vehicles cross the Waikato River in Cambridge each day - 53% use the Fergusson Bridge, and 47% traverse Victoria Bridge.

While Victoria Bridge is more convenient, the weight limit and narrowness turn many away.

A new bridge is expected to be more comfortable for people.

Hudson said the new bridge will be wide enough to cater all kinds of transport: cars, trucks, cyclists, pedestrians and scooters. And Victoria Bridge, with a remaining life estimated to be 25 to 30 years, will change to pedestrians and cyclists only.

The exact location of the bridge is yet to be finalised until funding and assessments are done, but the council is looking close to the town centre as traffic survey data and modelling of future traffic patterns show most trips head into town.

The project will be expensive and funding will be critical, said Hudson.

“It’s not in the tens of millions of dollars over that time period, it’s in the hundreds of millions of dollars.”

He said although the public may not be transport experts, but their input is valuable.

“People still know what they like. They choose to live in a town or a street because it's attractive to them.”

O’Regan, who had been supportive of a third bridge, said given the town’s growth over the past few years, it’s great to finally be able to present options to the community.

Public can submit feedback from now until March 29.