Kaitoke Bridge perfectly positioned

Meticulous planning underpinned BPC’s successful lift of a 52m long steel arch bridge into position over Te Awa Kairangi Hutt River at Kaitoke.

The bridge, being delivered for Wellington Water, will support a 1.5m diameter ductile iron pipe designed to flex in a significant earthquake event.

A truck and jinker trailer were used to move the 31T bridge from the site laydown area to the Smith Crane & Construction’s Favco 96T tower crane, which lifted it into position. Temporary bracing was installed to the arch steelwork to prevent it from buckling and bending under lifting conditions.

Project Manager Jack Gillard praised the team. “The bridge had to be aligned with the bolt holes in the abutments at each end of the bridge. Only 10mm tolerance was available, but everything aligned.”