Click here to watch our team connect central zone to Pito-One

Central to Pito-One connection

Last month, our teams achieved another milestone and completed the connection to the causeway extending from Pito-One, Petone.

Te Ara Tupua Alliance director Duncan Kenderdine was onsite as the excavator pushed through the final load of rock. 

"This is a a key achievement for our team who have been working hard to complete this on time. With the connection between each construction site being complete, it means we can focus on moving at pace and tackling the transitions between the interlocking concrete units and vertical seawalls."

The construction work for Te Ara Tupua started from Ngā Ūranga (Ngauranga) and Pito-One (Petone) while using the two temporary wharves to transport material and machinery to the middle of the project. Removal of the wharves will begin in the second quarter of 2025 to completing rock revetments.

Tonu heading out on site inspection.

Meet the people behind Te Ara Tupua

Meet Fa’atonu Fa’afili (fondly known as Tonu), one of our site engineers on Te Ara Tupua. As a site engineer, his day-to-day work varies from surveying and setting out the levels of a site to ensuring building designs are produced accurately and shared with the construction crews. 

When Tonu started his engineering studies at the University of Auckland, he never imagined he'd combine his love of civil and structural engineering with the logistics of working with interlocking concrete blocks, wind, sea and wildlife.

"The opportunity to work with some of the greatest engineering minds has been really rewarding. It's been a learning experience too working on elements that are a New Zealand first like the use of Te Ripowai; the ecological interlocking concrete block. I can't wait for my family to visit Pōneke and walk on Te Ara Tupua once it's finished in 2026."

Te Ripowai is the ecological interlocking concrete block designed with iwi artist Len Hetet (Te Āti Awa). To integrate the cultural narrative of the project into the ecological enhancement, surface modifications were included to encourage growth of aquatic flora.

Interact with our 360 degree image capture of Te Ripowai after it has been removed from the concrete casting mould below.

Free Ride - a wheelie good cause

Some of the key benefits that this resilience project will create is more accessible and safe travel choices along with economic and health benefits to Wellingtonians.

We spoke to Lily Chalmers at Free Ride; a community led charity that was developed to make sure everyone had access to bikes.

"We support transport equity and increasing access to low cost low carbon transport options. These are going to be good for our community, our environment and our whānau so what can we do to remove any barriers?"

The idea of Free Ride came about after Lily realised that people were interested in looking at different ways to travel but didn't know where to start. With feedback and additional support from Greater Wellington Regional Council and Hutt City Council, the idea of providing a bike share programme in Naenae evolved into a free bicycle scheme for the community.

"Te Ara Tupua is exciting. It's going to be infrastructure that removes a lot of barriers for people who couldn't have considered living, working or commuting between Wellington and the Hutt Valley. We will have an additional transport option to travel through a main corridor that is safe while also protecting the road and rail too."

Lily is driving this kaupapa (purpose) and relies on volunteers and koha (donations) to continue providing these services including safety gear such as helmets, locks and lights. Anyone can come along and be matched with a suitable bike and even learn how to fix and maintain it. There is currently a Givealittle campaign to raise funds to give away 100 bikes.

Free Ride has an e-bike library and hosts group rides to explore Lower Hutt which has become a popular way for participants to see if an e-bike would suit them. Free Ride hosts several mechanic workshops each month and the next e-bike group ride is happening on:

24th November which includes the Pito-One to Melling section of
Te Ara Tupua.

Image below: Pito-One to Melling section from the southern end which includes cultural designs by iwi artist Len Hetet

About us

The Ngā Ūranga ki Pito-One section of Te Ara Tupua is a project to provide better resilience to transport links between Wellington and Lower Hutt, with new walking and cycling choices.

It has been developed in partnership between NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangatira, alongside local councils.

It is being delivered by Te Ara Tupua Alliance, made up of Tonkin + Taylor, Downer NZ, and HEB Construction. 

More information

For more information on the Te Ara Tupua project, contact us at TeAraTupua@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/TeAraTupua