New two-lane Beaumont Bridge on track for 2023 opening
Motorists heading from Central Otago and Southern Lakes these holidays will notice construction work in Beaumont on a new two-lane bridge.
The bridge will replace the one-lane original on State Highway 8 over the Mata-Au/Clutha River.
Waka Kotahi has provided an update on the project ahead of the holiday season and more traffic on the road.
Work kicked off one year ago and, fast-forward 12 months, now all bridge pile foundations and four main concrete piers and abutments are complete.
Meanwhile, the placement of the new steel bridge spans are on track to be finished in the coming months, the transport agency says.
(Image: Waka Kotahi)
New approaches
The focus of road crews will now shift the eastern and western road approaches to the new bridge, it says.
Plus, there’s plenty to do on the new bridge itself over the coming months, including:
- steel girder installation
- ongoing placement of the concrete deck slabs
- sealing of the new bridge surface
- applying a top coat of concrete to the deck slabs prior to them being sealed
- bridge safety barrier installation
Waka Kotahi's "bridge facts"
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This 195-metre, two-lane bridge will sit about 12 metres above the average river level and is formed by curved steel girders supported by four concrete piers
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It features weathering steel beams (with a rusty look) made of high strength structural steel that forms a corrosion-resistant surface, prolonging the life of the bridge
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The bridge is designed to modern earthquake standards
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There'll be a shared walking and cycling path, so people can safely walk or bike across the new bridge
Construction of the bridge is expected to be completed late next year, it says.
Main image (Waka Kotahi): The new bridge western abutment looking toward the eastern bank.
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