Project update

29 April 2025

Looking east towards Matua Road on SH16 as Berry Bridge is prepped for opening to traffic in the background. A dedicated crew prepares a roadside access location for services.

April 2025 – Project Update

Tēnā koe and welcome to our first construction update for 2025.

The team has made great progress so far this year with the focus on bridge and retaining wall works, pavements, trenching and laying stormwater and service ducts, along with culvert and drainage work.

We want to thank the SH16 improvements project crew, as pictured below, for their hard work and dedication to getting the job done.  Also, a huge thank you to our neighbours for their understanding and patience as we complete this essential work.

We have a couple of big updates for you this month about our 2 bridges and the median barriers. Read on for more details.

Some of the dedicated SH16 crew who made 2024 a success

Our bridges are getting stitched!

After many months of construction, both new bridge structures, Kumeu 2 Bridge and Berry Bridge, are ready to be connected to the original bridges in a process called 'stitching’. This involves using high strength concrete to seamlessly secure the 2 halves to make each a solid and wider bridge.

During stitching, the road will be closed and traffic detoured to remove vibrations. This is important to ensure the concrete can cure so the strongest bond is achieved.

This traffic closure is tentatively planned for the end of May when traffic will be detoured for up to 16 hours overnight during a weekend. We’ll keep the community updated as the time for stitching nears.

Berry Bridge ready for stitching

Flush medians to replace median barriers

Following a review of the safety interventions for Stage 1 of the project, we’ve decided not to proceed with the installation of median barriers between Huapai and Waimauku.  The project will complete widening bridges, creating wider road shoulders, installing the turnaround bays and installing a flush median.

These interventions will improve the safety and efficiency of the corridor by creating more separation between lanes.  The wider road shoulder will provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists, with increased accessibility for emergency services in heavy traffic. Turnaround bays will be utilised by our state highways maintenance teams and will be available as emergency stopping bays for emergency services and road users.

This change addresses the concerns we’ve heard from the community about property access and local travel impacts.  We’ve determined this approach appropriately balances travel impacts for local journeys and safety for all road users.  

NZTA will continue to monitor and assess safety and efficiency along the corridor. The upgrades we’re completing now will provide space for additional safety interventions if required in the future.

Construction update: what’s news with the crews?

Trenching for services along with stormwater and gas line relocation in front of private properties has been our focus recently. Also, we’ve been busy with retaining wall works and works at Kumeu 2 Bridge. Steel barriers have been installed to protect our crews and align the approximately 15,000 vehicles per day that pass by.

We again want to thank the Rodney Local Board for their continued support.   And to our daily commuters – our crews and their families are so very grateful to you for continuing to make the site safer by keeping to the 60kph speed limit.

For more information on the project please see our webpage.  If you’d like to receive construction updates, please use our contact details below.

Ducting is suspended above the Ahukuramu Stream at Berry Bridge. So far, we have laid around 5km’s of ducting containing utilities services.

Here's what we have achieved January to April 2025

Structures

• Kumeū 2 Bridge piling works, Berry Bridge stitching preparation and barrier kerbs.
• Joyce Adams Place culvert works.
• Retaining wall works west of the Kumeū 2 Bridge.

Services

• Gas diversion works have been completed.
• Combined service trench installation on the southern side has progressed.

Factory Road to Trigg Road

Drainage

• Stormwater drainage is being installed in multiple zones on the southern side.

Earthworks

• Topsoiling, grassing and mulching is 100% complete on the northern side.
• Earthworks commenced on the southern side with multiple zones starting topsoil stripping, cut to waste and importing fill operation.

Pavement (road surface)

• Ground beams, kerbs and barriers are 100% complete on the northern side.
• Pavement construction has started on the southern side of the road along with driveway construction works.

Looking ahead – what’s the focus for the next quarter: May to August 2025

Bridge stitching, pavements, driveway construction along with fencing and kerbing. We’ll be progressing utility trenching, tree pits and landscaping.

The team will continue with both day and night works across the 3.2km site.

Structures

• Hydro demolition of the existing Berry Bridge deck to allow construction of the concrete stitch between the new and old bridge structure.
• Construction of the Kumeū 2 Bridge abutment beams, wingwalls and precast beams – followed by stitching.
• Retaining wall and Joyce Adams Place culvert construction.

Services

• Combined services trenching works on the southern side.

Drainage

• Stormwater drainage will continue to be installed in respective zones.

Earthworks

• Works on the southern side of the road will continue ahead of constructing underground assets and pavements.
• Ground shaping works, landscaping and tree pits will be installed behind pavement areas.

Pavement (road surface)

• Pavement construction continues on the southern side as we prep for kerbs, ground beam and barriers.

Keeping safe

While the road is being upgraded there are 3 things to remember to keep you safe when travelling through our site:

• Please avoid walking or cycling through the site while the road is narrower during construction.
• Please don’t get distracted by moving machinery – especially the diggers/cranes working on the roadside.
• Please drive carefully and always keep to the 60 km/h speed limit.

More information

We are keen to provide you with regular updates, so you always know what to expect. These can be via e-text direct to your phone or email to your inbox and can be stopped at any time.

Please contact Nettie Bird, Fulton Hogan Communications and Engagement Manager by emailing nettie.bird@fultonhogan.com or phoning 0800 287 667.

If you would like to see more construction photos or get more information on the SH16 Brigham Creek to Waimauku project, please visit nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh16-brigham-creek-and-waimauku or email us sh16safetyimprove@nzta.govt.nz