SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel

3 October 2023

The columns for piers B and C

It's beginning to look like a bridge

Progress continues at the Taparahi bridge site with the foming of the piers and abutments beginning to showcase how the bridge will look.

The bridge comprises four structural supports - two piers and two abutments. The team completed the second pier, Pier C, last week and is focused on the completion of Pier B this week.

The next critical component is the delivery of the bridge beams (steel girders). There are 15 bridge beams which are being manufactured offsite in Napier. The first two sets are scheduled to arrive onsite this week and we hope to see the first set of bridge beams lifted into place next week, weather permitting. The wind is a key factor in determining when we can complete this work.

The bridge beams will be installed on top of the piers and abutments and will form the base of the bridge deck.  

Abutment A: The headwall was poured last week and the wingwalls will start this week. 

Headwalls provide support for bridges, while wingwalls provide support and protect the abutment.

Abutment D: The main abutment beam was poured, and the team aim to complete the headwall this week. 

Pier B: Fixed, formed and concreted the headstock and plinth ready for the steel girders.

Headstocks support the bridge spans and transfer the bridge load to the pier below.

Pier C: The four columns for the pier have been poured with concrete. The working platform was lifted and placed on top (as pictured). The headstock construction will be underway this week.

The team will also continue with installing soil nails which will stabilise the slope (pictured in background of image) and fan drains. 

SH25 and SH25A maintenance and recovery work

Day-to-day state highway road maintenance activities continue around the Coromandel in a clockwise direction from Thames.

Pre-seal repairs are currently underway on the SH25 loop ahead of the upcoming renewals programme – which can be either road rebuilding, resealing or resurfacing.

Draingage and vegetation clearance is underway on SH25A, while chip seal activity kicked off on SH26 this week, heading towards Kōpū and then continuing on SH25A.  

A more detailed overview of work around the Peninsula is outlined below.

Kirikiri Stream bridge replacement

We recently went out for tender on this project, however the process was unsuccessful due to the prices received being significantly higher than the available funding.

As a result of this, and a shift in focus to recovery and resilience due to this year’s weather events, this project will be re-tendered in 2024-2025.

In the meantime, we are seeking feedback from the tenderers involved so that we can try to be in a strong position when we re-tender. This will allow us to consider what level of redesign is necessary or if it’s possible to reduce the cost of this project.

More on the project here.

The weather events earlier this year have meant resources from Waka Kotahi, consultants and contractors are required for recovery and resilience projects and regional maintenance programmes. This means some projects, particularly those in the design phase, have been deferred until later, or will be delivered in stages.

More information

If there's something you'd like to know more about, or you have a question, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at coromandel@nzta.govt.nz and we'll include the answers in upcoming issues.

Visit our website www.nzta.govt.nz/thames-coromandel

SH25A project information sheet