Subscribe to RSSPics: Sturges Rd Progress
Good to see at last some progress with the year-long Sturges Rd bridge replacement.
Many thanks to reader Hesky who sent through these photos from the scene today. Thanks, we appreciate them!
I can’t imagine how local residents are coping with the endless noise and disruption - and commuters and drivers must be running out of patience.
Utilities like power are being updated at the same time in front of homes
For a while, nothing seem to happen after the temporary Bailey bridge went down.
Now at last workmen are back on the job.
The new bridge is being constructed one side at a time, meaning traffic will continue to use the temporary bridge.
The temporary bridge will be replaced by the first half of the new bridge shortly still providing a single lane of traffic until the full bridge is opened in December. At the same time, work is being done to improve the approaches to the bridge to meet the new specifications, including some road widening.
In answer to the question we often ask - why so long, the council says:
“Not only is this a large job, but because the bridge runs over a rail line there are restrictions on when we can carry out certain activities. We also have to factor in that some of the work is being done during winter so adverse conditions could impact on construction timelines. Like residents, the council is keen to see this much anticipated project completed as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
It would not be unreasonable to suggest that had this been a KiwiRail job not the council, things would have moved faster but as we know KiwiRail wouldn’t finance this whole project, unlike the Remuera bridge replacement which was done very quickly over the Christmas- January period.
2 Comments
As a local I can say the time spent waiting for a turn to use the bridge can be really frustrating, I’m really looking forward to this being finished. They say the first half will be finished in about a month but they are still working on the piles so the road deck must be quick to put up.
In a recent communication they also blamed Kiwirail for delaying the consents
“but as we know KiwiRail wouldn’t finance this whole project, unlike the Remuera bridge”
Which wasn’t really widened though, unlike Sturges Road. Why should ROAD widening be paid out of sparse rail funds?
Even though part of this road widening is for cycle lanes which I wholeheartedly approve of, I don’t think that would be right. Not as long as every cent the railway guys are allowed to spend has to be justified thrice over.