Photo from work on site in mid-August showing the fascia panels

Kia ora,

With the move to Alert Level 4, the project team have put in place the necessary health and safety procedures in line with government advice. This means that no work on site is taking place and the area was secured and locked. To ensure the area remains safe, we’re carrying out daily inspections. Where possible, the team is working from home and planning for when we return to site.

The safety of the community and our team is our priority and to learn more about what work on site during the different Alert Levels will look like, visit our FAQ page by clicking here.

Ngā mihi nui

Base of the new bridge deck (foreground), cofferdam and piers as well as deconstruction of the Old Māngere Bridge (middle) and temporary staging (right)

On site update

Before the site was closed, the team completed pier four, removed the cofferdam around pier seven and installed more fascia panels on the side of the new bridge. Deconstruction of the Old Māngere Bridge is also 80% complete.

The construction of the base for the new bridge deck is underway with 28 concrete beams installed bridging the northern approach which is the deck connecting the bridge to land on the Onehunga side to spans one and two. A few beams were also installed on pier three before the site was closed.

In preparation for the installation of the central deck and arch, the team has been busy in the yard welding together the 21 smaller steel sections (20 tonnes each) into three large sections (140 tonnes each). These three pieces will be then transported to site by truck and trailer and then lifted into position by two large 250 tonnes cranes.

To safely transport the central deck and arch sections from our yard to site, the end of Coronation Road and the boat ramp will need to be temporarily closed for a few hours across two days. We’ll reopen the area as soon as the sections are safely on the site. Once we can return to work on site, we’ll share more information on dates and times of the planned closure.

Selina in her diving gear at one of her previous projects

Meet the team

Selina Abercrombie, Commercial Diver

What is your role and responsibility in this project?
I’m Selina, 31 years old and of Māori and English descent. I’m from Te Tai Tokerau Northland and live in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. I’ve been a commercial diver for five years and am one of the few females working as a commercial diver in Aotearoa. I really enjoy my job because there’s always something new to learn and I get to work on unique projects such as this one.

It’s my responsibility to ensure the sheet piles below the water line are sealed so the cofferdams keep the water out. This creates a safe and dry environment for the team working inside the cofferdams so they can build the piers of the new bridge.

What do you enjoy about working on this project?
I’m really enjoying the challenges that come with this job. There is a lot of tidal current within the Manukau Harbour which makes the task more difficult, and it can be tricky at times to see the gaps in the sheet piles which need to be sealed. This means it can take a while to find the spot I need to seal so I’ve got a lot more patience now than when I started.

What is the outcome you’d like to see at the end of construction?
Seeing the local community using and enjoying this bridge for many years to come, will be a great outcome. I’m also excited to tell my children and in the future, my grandchildren that I was part of the team who built the bridge.

Connecting communities

For more information on the Old Māngere Bridge replacement project, freephone 0508 623 266 or contact us at omb@nzta.govt.nz

Or visit our website https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/old-mangere-bridge-replacement-project