Steady Progress On Twin Bridges

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31116, 20 July 1966, Page 12

Steady Progress On Twin Bridges

Progress on the twin motorway bridges across the Waimakariri river was about three months ahead of schedule, the contractor (Mr A. Rope), of the Rope Construction Company, said yesterday.

Work on the western: bridge, which will carry north-bound traffic, is running to schedule while progress on the eastern bridge, to carry traffic into Christchurch, is three months ahead. The western bridge is due for completion in August, 1967. Mr Rope said the piles for both bridges and their north and south abutments would probably be completed next week. Work would then start on the decking of the western bridge. This would go on while the huge pre-tension beams at each end of the bridges were being moved into position. Already, the centre portions of the bridges were carrying the beams on which the decking would be built. Mr Rope said it would take three weeks to pour two spans of decking using 60 yards of concrete to each span 81 feet long. The entire contract is due for completion in May, 1969, and involves spending £283,000. It is the second largest contract undertaken by the company in the South Island. It also built the Wairau bridge, costing £315,000. In seven years, Mr Rope and fewer than 20 men, have

; built four other bridges in the South Island across the Ashley, Hurunui and Waiau rivers, and now the Waimakariri. Using the latest techniques the contractors had been able to cut down the time involved in building each bridge. Mr Rope said apart from a few minor incidents work had gone as planned. The Waimakariri . had behaved kindly throughout the operation and he hoped this would continue until both bridges were finished. Extra men would be taken on when laying the boxing and pouring the decks began. The contractors plan to have the western bridge decking completed by the end of next June to give them plenty of time to finish off before the contract expires. Steady progress is also being made on the motorway north of the Waimakariri. Four miles of earthworks have been completed to a point almost ready for sealing, and at present a huge stockpile of river shingle is being built north of the river for the run towards the Cam interchange. Trucks are dumping the shingle on a pile which now contains about 500,000 yards. The motorway including the bridges across the Waimakariri will ultimately carry six lanes of traffic.