SH76 Brougham Street upgrade

Stage One - Brougham Street Bridge

26 March 2026

Visitors to site checking out one of the piles that will support the new bridge

Building smarter on Brougham Street

Sometimes the best construction work is the kind you barely notice.
Piling on the new Brougham Street bridge was completed in early February, marking an important milestone for the project and a big win for people living nearby.

With the bridge being built close to homes, we were keen to find ways to reduce noise and vibration during construction. Our contractor, Fulton Hogan, suggested moving away from the traditional piling method, which involves hammering steel casings into the ground, and instead using a quieter, more innovative approach.

Rather than driving steel into the ground, the piles were drilled under a bentonite support fluid. This made the work more efficient and significantly reduced noise and vibration for neighbours, while still meeting all safety and quality requirements.

As each pile was dug, the bentonite, a clay like liquid, filled the hole and supported the sides of the excavation. The pressure from the fluid helped keep the hole stable while concrete was poured from the base upwards. The displaced bentonite was then collected and recycled for reuse in the next piles.

Fulton Hogan Project Manager Chris Hewitt said the method required specialist equipment and was rarely used in the South Island but was well suited to a busy urban environment like Brougham Street.

An added benefit was that the approach meant fewer steel casings were needed. This reduced costs and removed the need to wait for casings to be ordered and constructed, allowing piling to start sooner and finish earlier than planned. It was an all-round win for the project.

Feedback from residents confirmed the difference. Many said the piling was far less disruptive than they expected it to be, with some even asking when piling was going to start, not realising the work was already underway.

What we’ve achieved since Christmas

Work on the Brougham Street Upgrade has kept moving over summer, with some exciting progress now starting to take shape on site.

Much of the work to date has taken place below ground, so it may not always be visible.  This behind the scenes work has strengthened the area by upgrading underground services like the water supply, and by laying safe, strong foundations for the new bridge.

Since Christmas, the team has completed a series of big steps to form the foundations and support structures for the new bridge.

Here’s what’s been happening on site:

• Bridge foundations progressing
  The piling rig and crane were moved across Brougham Street so work could continue on the southern side. Four piles were drilled and concreted, completing the piling work for the bridge.
   
• Strengthening the foundations
  All piles across the project have now been base grouted, strengthening them at their base and creating stiffer foundations that can better support the weight of the new bridge without bending or twisting.
   
• Columns taking shape
  Steel reinforcing cages have been concreted in place to form the bridge columns, including two large columns built right alongside Brougham Street.
   
• Preparing for the main bridge span
  Temporary structures have gone up around the columns next to the road so crews can safely work at height and build the main supports for the bridge to rest on.

To date:
• Total hours worked: 17,495
• Total people inducted to site: 357
All of this work is moving us towards a safer, more reliable Brougham Street for the people who use it every day.

Some of the team at Taurus working on the bridge

Building the bridge you will soon walk across

People travelling through or living near Brougham Street will have seen steady progress as work continues on the new pedestrian and cycle bridge.

While Fulton Hogan crews continue construction on site, building the piles and piers that will support the bridge, another key part of the work is happening nearby. The bridge itself is being built off site in Bromley by a local company, Taurus Engineering.

The main span of the new pedestrian and cycle bridge that crosses Brougham St is being built off site in Bromley as one complete structure. At around 36 metres long, the bridge is being assembled as a single piece and prepared for transport. Once complete, it will be moved to Brougham Street, fitted out with a floor and some roof structure and lifted into place in one operation.

Running the offsite build alongside the onsite work helps keep the project moving and greatly reduces the amount of time crews would need to work directly over the road. The bridge structure is being assembled to tight tolerances so it can be safely moved and lifted once the supports on site are ready.

Once the bridge is built, a protective coating is applied to the steel for long term durability. This coating also provides the finished pearlescent gold and red colours, that form part of the bridge artwork by artist Lonnie Hutchison.

When finished, the bridge will provide a safe route over Brougham Street for people walking, wheeling and biking, and the pedestrian crossing at ground level will be removed.

The bridge will be lifted into place during a single overnight shift in June, with SH76 closed while the work takes place. More details will be shared closer to the time, including what this will mean for people travelling through the area.

Some of the posters up around the Brougham Street bridge work site

Adding colour to the fences

Since our last newsletter, the colourful art we promised has been bringing life to the fences around our worksites. The bright designs add energy and personality to the construction area, giving people something cheerful to enjoy as they walk, scoot or bike by.

The posters encourage kindness, courtesy, and safe use of the shared path around the site, and these messages have helped inspire the artwork itself. They act as a positive reminder that this is a shared space and that looking out for one another makes a difference.

The artwork was created by students from Addington School, and we would like to say a big thank you to them for sharing their creativity with us. Their art has transformed ordinary worksite fencing into something welcoming and fun, and it has been great to see the community enjoying it every day.

More information

For more information on the SH76 Brougham Street upgrade project, contact us at bm@nzta.govt.nz

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/sh76-brougham-upgrade