The contentious elements of an unusual Hawke's Bay winter came together in a symbolic gesture of union as an 18-metre central steel span was lowered in place at the weekend, to link the northern and southern approaches on a new bridge over the Matahorua Gorge.
With repeated rain having pushed the projected completion of Hawke's Bay's most costly road out to February next year, the week's wind abated, the temperature was spot on and the lift, more than 100 metres above State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa and using a crane imported from Canada, was completed ahead of time on Saturday morning.
The link was to have been completed early in the afternoon, but New Zealand Transport Agency Napier region highways manager Mark Kinvig said crew on the bridge, part of a $30 million, 3.1km realignment retiring the tortuous gorge road near Waikare, "had to go" when the conditions were right.
By mid-morning, with the highway below closed for the day, it was all in place and workmen were hard at work tying and locking it together, providing an almost tuneful accompaniment of hammering and engineering as bridgewatchers observed the action from beneath the northern approaches of the huge steel structure.
The gorge was closed to all traffic throughout the day, and again yesterday. It will also be closed on both days next weekend, as well as intermittently during completion of the project.
A detour was available through Matahorua Rd, a 20km route from Tutira to Samakand, also in the throes of roadworks as the Hastings District Council closes another gap with 4km of new sealing yet to be laid.
Mr Kinvig said it had been difficult to know how Saturday's lift would go - "how the bolts would line up ... there's not a lot of tolerance".
But it appeared to have gone to plan, and the crane and workmen were soon adding transoms and other framework which will lead to the placement of the concrete decking of the bridge, beside a railway bridge built 82 years ago.
Nearing completion is the removal of the Kahika railway overbridge, which will be temporarily replaced by an especially constructed and sealed detour of up to 300m, including a railway crossing.
"Weather permitting, the overbridge will be demolished by late October," Mr Kinvig said.
It had originally been hoped the completed realignment road could open by Christmas or soon afterwards.
The wet weather had had an impact on earthworks, he said, and NZTA was still working with contractor Downer on completion dates.
Earthquakes appeared not to have impacted on construction, which had the most modern of earthquake-proofing to ensure the longevity of the bridge.
It included placement of a polystyrene block within the northern abutment.
Mr Kinvig said: "One of the issues was that the gorge in an earthquake might come in a little bit, a few inches. This would take care of that."
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