This month at Te Ara Tupua

Strong progress continues on the project with major milestones achieved on the bridge and resilience works. As finishing touches are carried out on the seawalls and revetment, our work starts to shift above the waterline to commence pavement and landscaping activities. 

At the northernmost point of Te Ara Tupua, Honiana Te Puni Reserve - whenua returned to iwi mana whenua Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika as part of their treaty settlement - is undergoing a great deal of development.

Foundations are currently being poured for the relocation of the two Tāwharau Pods to their new site near the western edge of the Reserve. Native planting is also scheduled for the coming weeks, along with preparation for rest areas in the vicinity. Dates for iwi and community involvement will be communicated shortly. 

See this month's project highlights in more detail below.

Images below: Native species thriving at Honiana Te Puni Reserve from community planting one year ago until now.

Construction Developments

Four of the six seawalls along the project footprint are now complete following the successful installation of concrete louvre screens.

Over the past month, our team has focused on removing temporary access tracks used during construction, seamlessly tying in revetment and seawall transitions, and carefully restoring the sensitive gravel beach areas.

With restoration work now complete, we’ve noticed an influx of manu (birds) returning to these locations – many of which had been using the offshore habitats that provided safe roosting and resting sites whilst construction activity was underway.

On the revetments, approximately 96% of the X-blocs have been installed, with a significant portion of Te Ara Tupua now raised close to its design height.

This progress has enabled kerbing works to start in several sections, alongside the placement of crest armour – the final layer of rock which secures the X-blocs armour units in place. Within these areas, Kororā nest boxes have been strategically placed to provide shelter for the native and endangered species.

Image below: Reinstated gravel beach following completion of works at northern seawall.

Bridge Construction at Ngā Ūranga

The rail overbridge bridge is a complex feat of engineering. Being so close to the Wellington Fault, the design needed to meet the seismic requirements as well as being accessible to emergency services vehicles while also being the conduit for people to connect with the coastal landscape. It is being built on reclaimed land in a limited construction footprint being sandwiched between the sea, the rail and SH2.

Now that the piling is complete, work has started on installation of the support piers. The piers are precast in Levin, carted to site then stood up and stitched with concrete onto the top of the piles.

As of July, four of the six piers have been installed. These incorporate the cultural narrative that runs throughout the project with tohu (design) on the pier columns and headstocks created by mana whenua design lead, Len Hetet.

Paora explaining to project board members the challenges and process of building the bridge for Te Ara Tupua on the seaward side of the rail line.

People behind Te Ara Tupua

Meet Paora, our Structures Discipline Manager.

For the project this means Paora is the guy who works with concrete, steel and big cranes to deliver one of the more complex features of Te Ara Tupua; the bridge that will connect people over the rail onto the safe shared path.

Many years ago, he started off as a Site Engineer at the Tauranga Harbour Link, a major roading project that significantly upgraded the existing harbour crossing and approaches in Tauranga. He made his way down the country working on projects like Victoria Park Tunnel, wasterwater rehabilitation with Pipeworks, the Wero Whitewater Kayak Park before ending up in Wellington on the Omāroro Reservoir project, which was the largest water infrastructure project in the Wellington region at the time.

Reflecting back on his experiences, he admits the work can be tough and character building but at its centre, it's an industry that is constantly changing, finding ways to be more innovative and future proofing for generations to come.  

“The work we're doing here combines all the construction disciplines you could dream of and paired with all the outcomes we want to see from construction projects. We are being respectful of the environment, recognising and acknowledging the cultural and historical significance of the whenua, and bringing people along the journey." 

The bridge construction is a critical piece in the lead up to the completion of Te Ara Tupua.

"We wouldn't even be able think about this work if it wasn't for the collaborative effort between the designers, engineers and constructors. I like to say, 'You have to go through it to get to it' and we all went through the challenges together to find solutions that met the project requirements. I want to thank my team and the Alliance for their commitment and hard work. Thanks Thom, Peter, Saab and Gary. I am privileged to lead the structures team here at the Alliance and I can't wait for people to connect with Te Ara Tupua in 2026."

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