Huge Bridges For Capital

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30045, 1 February 1963, Page 8

Huge Bridges For Capital

(NZ Press Association)

WELLINGTON, January 31. Wellington is to have New Zealand’s most spectacular motorway structures when the 44Wft bridge reaches from Kaiwharawha.v to the foot of Tlnakori road and the bridges and ramps connect the shore

motorway and the Hutt road at Ngauranga. The Ministry of Works, constructing authority for the National Roads Board, plane to call tenders this year tor the work. It is planned to use the first length ot the shore axrtorway from Ngauranga

time. It will at first be for Hutt Valley traffic only. The next section, over the railway yards at Thorndon, will be ready two years later. The Ngauranga gorge highway connexion to the motorway will follow later. Whether these targets can be maintained is said to depend largely upon the supply of engineering staff to design, direct and supervise and of labour force for the contractors.

These huge bridges will completely change the traffic approach to Wellington. The Katwharawhara-Thorn-don bridge will have two decks carrying three lanes and a fourth art access points. It will span toe Katwhara-

whara stream and the Picton ferry terminal, soar 25ft above Aotea quay, then climb to 50ft to pass over the engine sheds in the railway yards, and then cross Thorndon quay. It will touch down again near the Hobson street gully. Its cantilevered deckings will be carried on massive cylindrical piers along its centre-line. Their foundations will go down to 00ft or more through reclaimed land. About £1 million will be spent on the foundations before anything shows above ground. The Ngauranga-Thomdon undertaking is expected to cost £6 million.