Kris Croft: NCI project crosses another bridge

Another milestone on the Northern Corridor Improvements (NCI) has been reached – a new vehicle/pedestrian/cyclist bridge over Northern Motorway on SH1. Finished under COVID Levels 3 and 2, the iwi blessing – normally a major event – was restricted to just 10 people.

The new McClymonts Road Bridge replaces a lower, narrower bridge to allow the extended busway and traffic lanes on SH1 underneath. The bridge has four-metre wide walking and cycling paths on each side to connect the communities of Pinehill and Albany.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Senior Manager Project Delivery, Andrew Thackwray, says the 60 metre bridge is one of three ‘gateway’ structures along the motorway and will be illuminated at night.

The NCI is the largest non disaster recovery-related project Fulton Hogan has been involved in, with up to 400 Fulton Hogan and JV partner HEB staff working on up to 50 work sites simultaneously.

The NCI upgrades transport for the Albany and North Harbour communities and includes a new motorway connection between SH1 and SH18, opening up access to the Western Ring Route and travel to the airport. It will extend the Northern Busway to Albany and deliver more than 7kms of walking and cycling paths.