The new cycle bridge over Takitimu Drive has been lifted into place.
The bridge will link Bethlehem and Gate Pa across the Route K toll road.
It is part of a National Urban Cycleways Fund project that will link Bethlehem with the Kopurererua walking and biking network.
The 200-tonne bridge spans 72 metres and cost $1.6 million.
'The bridge design has had extensive input from Tauranga City Council, Ngai Tamarawaho and the NZ Transport Agency,” says a Tauranga City Council spokesperson.
'The design includes decorative concrete piers/decking and a timber handrail that will emulate an eel (tuna) swimming up the Kopurererua Stream. Decorative timber bollards and other features will be erected around the bridge next financial year.”
The total project, including a second, smaller access bridge, is worth around $3.3 million.
The cycle bridge is expected to open to the public at the end of June.
5 comments
Cost
Posted on 24-05-2018 12:26 | By Told you
Can it really be justified spending $3.3 million dollars on this cycle way.Im sure there are far more deserving projects than this one, it is called priority.
Future
Posted on 24-05-2018 13:10 | By Richard McNair
At the rate petrol is going up we will all be needing bikes shortly!
Biking on the bridge
Posted on 24-05-2018 13:39 | By cliveL
A extremely outrageous cost and a bit of a white elephant. I call it the Bridge to Nowhere as (at this point) there is no cycle lane/path from Bethlehem to the bridge other than along the main roads with heavy traffic to the BMX park on Cambridge Rd and then along a rough track to the bridge, and certainly no track further along to SH29 where the 2nd bridge is going.Some sign posts would be helpful otherwise who knows the bridge exists!!
Can't wait to use it!
Posted on 24-05-2018 14:27 | By tgacentral
It's pricey but still only a fraction of the cost of any other NZTA roading project. This will be a great govt funded asset once the full project is complete with links on both sides. Finally we'll have an option (for some the only option) in and out of Bethlehem that doesn't involve a slow commute burning expensive gas that chokes our city.
abridged
Posted on 25-05-2018 08:32 | By Carlos spicywiener
Nice bridge for the cost really,and will work well for tga cyclists going to lakes,looks fairly low from a truckies point of view but may be optical illusion due to the large piping being used.
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