Composite Fibre Technology bridges improve pedestrian safety at Waihi Beach

When two ageing road bridges at Waihi Beach required upgrading to improve access for cyclists and pedestrians, Bridge It NZ was engaged by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to tackle the challenge. Utilising innovative Composite Fibre Technology (CFT/FRP), Bridge It NZ influenced design, by constructing and installing a clip-on and Stand Alone bridge to fit the specific requirements of each site. The result is two lightweight, long service life pedestrian bridges that can withstand the coastal environment for decades. With 100 year design life and 40 years until first maintenance, the total cost of asset life is minimal compared to using other products.

Three Mile Creek CFT clip-on Pedestrian Bridge 

Bridge It NZ were initially engaged to add a pedestrian bridge to the existing road bridge at Three Mile Creek. Opting for a CFT clip-on to the existing bridge was the optimal solution for several reasons. 

• Ability to protect services running under the existing bridge (potable water, telecommunications).  
• Resulted in straight pathway alignment and avoided a private boundary at one end of the bridge. 
• CFT is ideal for the harsh coastal environment. Having corrosion free properties, a low maintenance burden and a 100 year design life, it is a long term cost effective solution. 
• CFT is also lightweight. This meant the original 1958 bridge structure could accommodate the additional load of the clip-on Bridge.  

Wilson Road CFT Pedestrian Bridge 

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s satisfaction with the Three Mile Creek project resulted in Bridge It NZ being engaged to add a further pedestrian bridge at Wilson Road. For this site, a stand alone CFT pedestrian bridge was chosen.  

• Bridge It NZ had a tight project timeline so the bridge could be open for Christmas.
• The stand alone bridge option eliminated the need for an engineer to analyse the load capacity of the existing bridge and no demolition of the existing structure required, saving time. 
• With the superstructure pre-fabricated, the installation was quick which drastically minimised community disruption.
• The bridge intentionally designed to be wider than the current footpath to future-proof the structure for increase in usage over time.  

“I would really like to thank the Bridge It NZ team for such a great effort with the installation of the pedestrian bridge at Waihi Beach.  

This project was efficiently managed from start to finish by the team. Any uncertainties were discussed and resolved swiftly on site. The end result looks amazing. Getting Bridge It NZ on board was a cost effective solution to an ongoing safety concern.” 

Ashley Hall, Roading Engineer
Western Bay of Plenty District Council