1000-year Bridge handover delayed to November

The 1000-Year bridge as it appears in its unfinished state on the road to Kaiti Beach. Photo / Paul Rickard

The 1000-year pedestrian bridge which will span Raikaiatane Road next to Eastland Port is now expected to be officially handed over to Gisborne District Council in mid-November.

The original costing was $2.68 million, but projected costs put it over budget by $35,500.

A Lottery Significant Project Fund grant of $3.1 million in 2018 covered the original $2.6m costing and included $389,000 for the Te Maro sculpture at Ruatanuika lookout on Titirangi/Kaiti Hill.

The agenda for tomorrow’s district council operations committee meeting said the cost overrun was due to cost escalations and a maintenance plan that was never included in the original scope.

Contractors will deliver the bridge in late September, with another six weeks required for work such as stairwell installation, lighting and footpath upgrades.

The main reason for the revised date is that “the fabrication elements are very tricky, especially the stairwell and design elements of the waka”.

“The scale of the waka is becoming evident, and the project team are working on the operational aspect of lifting the waka onto the bridge piers.”

The agenda said “a hard road closure” was required and was planned to happen at night, but the option of a daylight closure had not been discounted.

The project started as an upgrade of the existing Cook Landing site and connecting paths as part of the Navigate Tairāwhiti programme.

The waka-shaped 1000-Year Bridge under construction in Hawke's Bay.

The bridge, in the shape of a waka, will connect the landing site to Titirangi across Rakaiatane Road.

It will also link with tracks on the maunga to walkways around the inner harbour, which connect to walkways and cycleways to Wainui or to Kiwa Pools and the city beaches.

As people walk along the footbridge, the story of how the region evolved over 1000 years will be told, including the role of great navigators.

The bridge will also bring back “the cone of vision” so that Te Kuri a Paoa/Young Nicks Head can be seen.