Wynyard Crossing bridge breaks: Busy Auckland waterfront pedestrian link in need of repairs

A busy moveable pedestrian bridge on Auckland’s waterfront has broken down, severing a key walking route between Wynyard Quarter and the rest of the city’s downtown area.

The Wynyard Crossing bridge, constructed at a cost of $3.7 million and opened in 2011, was built to raise and lower its span to accommodate for boats passing below. It has been closed to pedestrians since an electrical issue occurred last Friday.

The bridge span has been kept up to allow boats to access the Viaduct Marina, which was a requirement of the bridge’s resource consent if a fault occurred.

It is understood the hydraulic brake sensors on the bridge failed, council-controlled organisation Eke Panuku’s head of property Ruth Jost said.

Wynyard Crossing. Photo / Greg Bowker

“The sensors were not releasing the brakes,” Jost said.

“So when the motor was running to lift the bridge, the brakes came into play, causing the motor to work harder and causing more demand, leading to high electrical current draw, which triggered the failsafe mode to protect the motor and shut the motor down.”

The Wynyard Crossing Bridge has broken, severing a key walking route since Friday. Photo / Jason Oxenham

She said the issue began mid-morning on Friday when the bridge operator noticed one of the motors for lifting the bridge was struggling. The operator lifted the bridge span and left it there as per the resource consent.

A maintenance crew looked at the bridge immediately after the problem arose, Jost said, and security guards began redirecting pedestrians around the edge of the Viaduct.

Later on Friday, contractors installed a mechanical lock to take pressure off the bridge’s lifting cables, winch and motor.

As workers returned to the city on Monday, Eke Panuku put up signs to redirect pedestrians and warned people of the problem on social media.

The bridge span has been kept up to allow boats to access the Viaduct Marina, which was a requirement of the bridge’s resource consent if a fault occurred. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Crews further investigated the issue on Monday evening, but Jost said: “It was not clear what the issue was, nor how long the issue was likely to last.”

The Wynyard Crossing was built in as part of a $120m development of the city’s waterfront. It was only supposed to be a temporary bridge, and the intention was that it would ultimately be replaced by a “more robust” structure, Jost said.

In 2019, when ideas were proposed for a new bridge, Panuku Development Auckland said: “The existing Wynyard Crossing, which has become a critical transport connection, was installed as a temporary structure for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It is reaching the end of its useful life and needs frequent and costly repairs to keep it running smoothly.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.