Collaboration project Taupiri bridge wins award and provides safer access

The arch bridge across Taupiri's Mangawara Stream just won an award. Photo / Supplied

The long-awaited arch bridge across the Mangawara Stream in Taupiri has just won an award and makes vehicle and pedestrian access to Taupiri Maunga safer.

The joint project of Waikato District Council, Waikato Tainui, KiwiRail and Waka Kotahi won the Best Public Works Project in the category $2 Million - $5 Million of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia NZ Asset Management Excellence Awards (IPWEA) and was runner-up in the Excellence in Road Safety award category.

The consultant project manager on behalf of the council, Luke McCarthy of LMC, said the national recognition showed the value of working effectively together with other major organisations and the local community.

"This award is recognition for the mahi of a core group of people whose passion for this project has culminated in a significant community asset and safe outcomes for generations to come. Awesome people make for awesome projects."

The new bridge is set to provide safe vehicle and pedestrian access to Taupiri Maunga that also enabled KiwiRail to close a dangerous level crossing and has stopped trespassing on the railway bridge. Waka Kotahi was able to close an unsafe accessway from a busy main road, thanks to the bridge.

The council's general manager for service delivery, Roger MacCulloch, congratulated all parties involved in the project.

"The award is so well deserved – the bridge is a magnificent asset for our community, the rest of the Waikato and beyond ... Team Up is one of our council's values and this project certainly demonstrated that."