Onehunga Harbour Road Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Onehunga Harbour Road Bridge is a walking and cycling bridge over Onehunga Harbour Road, a heavily trafficked road at the southwestern edge of Onehunga
, New Zealand
. The bridge provides easy and safe access from Onehunga to both the Waikaraka Cycleway
running west-east, and Old Mangere Bridge to the south, which in turn links over the Mangere Inlet
mouth of the Manukau Harbour
. The bridge is 3.5m wide, and distinguished by its sweeping, curved structure.
The design of the bridge was developed in communication with local community groups and the cycling advocate group Cycle Action Auckland
, as an ancillary project to the State Highway 20 duplication of the nearby Mangere Bridge motorway bridge. It was completed in 2010, with the construction team having to overcome various issues with difficult ground, some of the piles having to be sunk up to 30m deep through volcanic deposits to local sandstone bedrock. A nearby underpass under SH20, connecting on from the bridge to Onehunga, was also upgraded as part of the project.
Onehunga
Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is eight kilometres south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of One Tree Hill, Maungakiekie....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The bridge provides easy and safe access from Onehunga to both the Waikaraka Cycleway
Waikaraka Cycleway
The Waikaraka Cycleway is an off-road cycleway in the south of Auckland City, New Zealand, running from the Wesley suburb in southern Auckland City along New Zealand State Highway 20 to Onehunga and then continuing along the shoreline of the Manukau Harbour beside mostly industrialised areas until...
running west-east, and Old Mangere Bridge to the south, which in turn links over the Mangere Inlet
Mangere Inlet
Mangere Inlet is an arm of the Manukau Harbour, the southwestern of the two harbours of Auckland, New Zealand and itself an arm of the Tasman Sea. The inlet lies between the two cities of Auckland City and Manukau City and has a size of 6.6 km2 and a catchment of 34.5 km2, being considered to...
mouth of the Manukau Harbour
Manukau Harbour
Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand by area. It is located to the southwest of the Auckland isthmus, and is an arm of the Tasman Sea.-Geography:...
. The bridge is 3.5m wide, and distinguished by its sweeping, curved structure.
History
The crossing of Onehunga Harbour Road was historically very difficult, as traffic was fast and heavy with over 15,000 vehicles daily (due to the nearby port and the motorway ramps) and sight distances were also limited by the strong curve of the road in the vicinity.The design of the bridge was developed in communication with local community groups and the cycling advocate group Cycle Action Auckland
Cycle Action Auckland
Cycle Action Auckland is a pro-cycling advocacy group in Auckland, New Zealand. The volunteer-driven group aims to improve infrastructure and conditions, as well as perceptions of cycling to encourage more "everyday people" to use bicycles, including for commuting and recreation...
, as an ancillary project to the State Highway 20 duplication of the nearby Mangere Bridge motorway bridge. It was completed in 2010, with the construction team having to overcome various issues with difficult ground, some of the piles having to be sunk up to 30m deep through volcanic deposits to local sandstone bedrock. A nearby underpass under SH20, connecting on from the bridge to Onehunga, was also upgraded as part of the project.
See also
- Mangere Bridge (bridges)
- Waikaraka CyclewayWaikaraka CyclewayThe Waikaraka Cycleway is an off-road cycleway in the south of Auckland City, New Zealand, running from the Wesley suburb in southern Auckland City along New Zealand State Highway 20 to Onehunga and then continuing along the shoreline of the Manukau Harbour beside mostly industrialised areas until...