Construction of the Kopu Bridge replacement project near Thames reached a new milestone today. The final beam of the four steel bridge beams that connect the middle span of the new bridge was lifted into place.
These four beams will support the concrete bridge deck which will carry two-lane traffic and a shared pedestrian/cycle path.
Construction started one year ago today.
The largest beams are 26m long, 1.6m deep and 0.45m wide. Several beams are bolted together to create each span between the bridge’s 15 concrete piers. Most spans between piers are 36.7m across but the navigation span that will provide access for boat traffic is 42.8m across.
Construction of the $47m Kopu Bridge remains on target for completion in mid 2012.
Ten of the bridge’s 15 concrete piers are now in various stages of construction. As the piers are completed, bridge beams will be progressively placed across each span, and reinforced concrete bridge decks constructed on top.
The contractor is currently building the bridge from a temporary working platform extending from the west bank of the Waihou River. This gives access to build the first 10 piers.
Construction of the Kopu Bridge replacement project near Thames reached a new milestone today.
The largest beams are 26m long, 1.6m deep and 0.45m wide. Several beams are bolted together to create each span between the bridge’s 15 concrete piers. Most spans between piers are 36.7m across but the navigation span that will provide access for boat traffic is 42.8m across.
Construction of the $47m Kopu Bridge remains on target for completion in mid 2012.
Ten of the bridge’s 15 concrete piers are now in various stages of construction. As the piers are completed, bridge beams will be progressively placed across each span, and reinforced concrete bridge decks constructed on top.
The contractor is currently building the bridge from a temporary working platform extending from the west bank of the Waihou River. This gives access to build the first 10 piers.
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5 Responses to “Kopu Beam In Today”
Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
In a way I’ll be sorry to see the old bridge go. It sort of reminded me of what Coromandel is, or at least used to be about. A slower more relaxed pace.
Beam me in, Scotty!
Jokes aside, I agree with Ian, but I imagine many on the Coromandel won’t miss the Kopu bridge until after it’s gone. It’s then that they’ll realise what it meant and how it defined the Coromandel pace.
The existing Kopu Bridge will remain since it is a protected but it will be refurbished and become a parallel shared walking/cycling facility with the one to be added on the new bridge. As for the new bridge this is wonderful in all respects; it’s of economic, environmental, social and cultural importance for Coromandel’s ongoing progress and prosperity.
I also hear that this project is an overall part of NZTA’s Single-Lane Bridge Replacement Programme over a 15-year period (now 14-year), as it said replaces the last remaining 150 so single-lane highway bridges.
The following are either completed, in construction or soon-to-be constructed,
SH1 Awatere Bridge near Seddon, Marlborough (new road bridge, former rail over road bridge remains for rail, the road deck since removed) – completed.
SH6 Arahura Bridge between Greymouth and Hokitika (separate road deck, rail deck and shared walking/cycling facility on the same foundation, former shared road/rail bridge demolished, parts of it saved for a heritage project) – completed.
SH36 Ohaupara Stream, and Mangorewa Stream bridges between Tauranga and Rotorua (general bridge replacement) – in construction.
SH73 Goat River Bridge at Otira between the West Coast and Christchurch (aging) – in construction.
SH82 Waitaki River Bridges between Kurow, Otago and Hakataramea, Canterbury (two road bridges (on separate islands above each other) and shared walking/cycling facility) – at design, to-be-constructed.
Others are at different stages but in general are to be replaced.
Hi Bill,
Thanks for that info – do you work for NZTA, or with them?
No, I pay particular interest to NZTA and relative projects because of their immediate and far-reaching impacts, and not just on the highways and roads itself.