The Newmarket viaduct replacement will increase southbound capacity for traffic over Newmarket – the busiest stretch of motorway in New Zealand.
As part of the ongoing upgrades to the Auckland motorway network the existing Newmarket viaduct needed to be replaced with a wider, seismically stronger, and more sustainable motorway bridge. In order for the motorway to remain operational throughout the upgrade, a carefully staged construction / deconstruction program has been implemented.
The NGA Newmarket Alliance is delivering the project for the NZ Transport Agency. The Alliance is comprised of NZTA, Beca, Fulton Hogan, Leighton Contractors, VSL NZ, URS, Tonkin and Taylor and Boffa Miskel. The replacement project is expected to be completed in 2012.
A significant milestone in the project to date has been the 36-hour closure of SH1 southbound to relocate the 800 tonne launching truss and switch traffic onto the new southbound viaduct. Beca played an integral role in planning the traffic management and communications campaigns for the closure on 4 September 2010. Planning for the northbound lane switch in early 2012 is now in progress.
A 'Slow Down Over Newmarket' campaign to reduce travel speeds and improve safety over the Newmarket viaduct has resulted in the Alliance and Beca Traffic Engineer Jeremy O’Brien winning the 3M New Zealand Traffic Safety Innovation Award.