Sturges Road Bridge Replacement

Background information

The old Sturges Road Bridge has come to the end of its useful life and will be replaced.

Built in 1940 the ageing bridge has reached the end of its life.

Once complete, the new Sturges Road Bridge will boast three traffic lanes and shared pedestrian and cycle paths on both sides.

Sturges Road carries up to 17,000 vehicles a day but the bridge's dated design contributes to congestion on the road and does not allow for future electrification of the rail line.

Replacing Sturges Road Bridge is an $8.6 million project managed by Waitakere City Council, supported by KiwiRail.

The project

Building the new bridge will start in mid-December 2009 and is expected to be completed by December 2010.

The initial work will involve diverting phone lines, power and water away from the bridge and starting construction of a temporary footbridge across the rail line for pedestrian and cycle access.

Between December 26, 2009 and January 18, 2010 the bridge will be demolished and replaced by a temporary single lane Bailey bridge.

During this time the bridge could be closed for several days to allow for the old bridge to be removed and the temporary bridge put in place.

These dates coincide with a shutdown of the rail line by KiwiRail. There will be no trains on the line during this period.

The new bridge will be built one side at a time, between late March 2010 and December 2010.

The new bridge will be 60 centimetres higher than the current structure, so the road level on the approaches to the bridge will need to be raised and widened. Some properties will be affected by the work and council will liaise closely with individual property owners.

Information for residents

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Updates

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2010

Pedestrian access to rail station closed - 23 September 
Sturges Road closed 25 September to 10 October to advance bridge project - 8 September
Bridge replacement stage two - May to December - 17 May
Sturges Road Bridge construction underway in April  - 26 March
Temporary bridge on Sturges Road  - 07 January

2009
Pedestrian footbridge open as Sturges Road bridge replacement gets underway - 23 December
Diversion in place during Sturges Road Bridge Replacement  - 07 December

Timeline

The Sturges Road Bridge replacement project is scheduled to take place during early December 2009 and December 2010.

*The bridge will be closed to traffic for several days during the demolition and Bailey bridge installation. Please avoid the immediate area and follow the signs advising alternative routes.

Planning your journey

With a project of this size people are going to be inconvenienced and there will be traffic delays but we are working to minimise this disruption.

Traffic on the temporary single lane bridge will be directed by traffic lights throughout the project therefore people are advised to take alternative routes.

Two diversion routes have been put in place to avoid the work area:

• Westbound traffic on Swanson Rd: Use Henderson Valley Road, Border Road, Palomino Drive then rejoin Sturges Road. This is also the traffic diversion route for the southern sector of Western Heights, especially during peak traffic periods.
• Eastbound Swanson Road traffic: Use Metcalfe Road, Munroe Road and Summerland Drive before rejoining Sturges Road.

On foot or bike:

• Pedestrians and cyclists will share the temporary footbridge being built over the railway line. This will allow for safe access at all times, including to the station platform.

By bus:

• Some bus stops will be relocated as a result of the works. For information about routes and schedules phone Maxx on (09) 366 0400 or go to www.maxx.co.nz

Community involvement

The Sturges Bridge Community Liaison Committee has also been established and includes representatives from the Western Heights Residents and Ratepayers Association, local schools, council staff, councillors and community board members.