The major maintenance project on State Highway 1's Desert Road section remains on schedule, with crews achieving significant milestones in the reconstruction work.
In what project managers are calling an "action-packed week," the country's largest mobile crane - nicknamed "Monster Crane" by the crew - has successfully installed a new deck on the Mangatoetoenui Bridge. The deck, delivered in two 62-tonne sections, marks a crucial step in the bridge's reconstruction.
"Our indication has always been that the Desert Road would be closed for 8 weeks, and with recent good weather supporting the work programme, everything is on track," a New Zealand Transport Agency spokesperson told media.
The bridge deck installation involved a complex process where the two massive sections were "stitched" together using reinforced steel and concrete to form a single solid structure. Crews have now completed all precast installation, including end-wall and wingwall panels.
Meanwhile, other sections of the Desert Road have seen significant progress, with crews completing pre-hoeing work to establish the basecourse layer of the road. Foam bitumen stabilisation is now underway at various sites.
The Transport Agency has also implemented new access restrictions, with passes now required for those needing legitimate access to the worksite. Department of Conservation sites along the route are closed, including access from SH1 to the Poutu inlet and SH46.
