Tauranga Pedestrian Overbridge
A Milestone Urban Footbridge In The Bay Of Plenty, New Zealand
The SH36 Pedestrian Overbridge, known also as Matarawa Pa, opened to the public in May 2019 and connects The Lakes residential area and the Tauriko business estate. “It creates a safe connection for walkers and people on bikes between parts of the city that were previously disconnected.” says Martin Parkes, acting General Manager of Tauranga City Council.
The bridge features 248 Planet LED Pucks with Vertical Asymmetric optics in 4000K along its 188 metres of pedestrian ramps as well as custom blue LED lighting on the 34 metre footbridge itself.
Placing the bridge’s structure in place required closing a four-lane arterial highway. Impressively, traffic was halted for only an hour overnight, as 4 cranes hoisted 80 tonnes worth of materials, including the bridge and its prefabricated 72m long steel box truss, complete with concrete deck. The bridge was lifted in two parts and spliced together once in place.
Tauranga – A Bridge Of Plenty
For Tauranga, the successful completion of the 4.6million dollar project is an important milestone for the burgeoning region with it’s significant cultural and economic identity. “[It’s] a stunning bridge in this fast-growing part of our city” says Parkes. Tauranga, with its estimated population of 145,000 people, is it the third fastest-growing region in the country, ideally positioned in the Bay of Plenty on New Zealand’s northern Island. A coastal metropolis with the largest port in New Zealand – its international gateway for trade, fashion and the tourism industry as well as being an important historic centre, founded by Māori people in the 13th Century.
“A stunning bridge in this fast-growing part of our city. It creates a safe connection for walkers and people on bikes between parts of the city that were previously disconnected.”
Martin Parkes, acting General Manager of Tauranga City Council.
