Sandford Park pedestrian bridge replacement significantly reduces cost to Hamilton City Council

A collaboration between Bridge It and Hamilton City Council has delivered great results for residents who enjoy two of the city’s parks.

As part of its Long Term Plan, the Council allocated funding to two bridge replacement projects – including a particularly challenging job in Sandford Park in the suburb of Melville.

Bridge It NZ was engaged to tackle the challenge by proposing an alternative bridge design for Sandford Park. Bridge It’s collaborative, problem solving approach and depth of expertise in all aspects of bridge construction enabled the Council to maximise its Long Term Plan budget while meeting the local community’s recreational needs.

Replacing a Pedestrian Bridge with Challenging Access
The replacement of a pedestrian bridge at Sandford Park in Hamilton needed to be a long-lasting structure able to resist the forces of nature, damage and vandalism. The bridge would be used by pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users, and a large specimen tree nearby  needed to be retained. The old bridge had to be removed and replaced with a new bridging structure at a site with tight and restricted access.  Project delivery necessitated working with the Council’s preferred civil construction partner Schick Civil Construction.

A Bridge Solution That Reduced Project Cost By 68%
Bridge It NZ worked collaboratively with the Council’s Parks and Recreation staff to develop a design and proposal for the replacement bridge at Sandford Park that reduced the project cost by 68% compared to the initial design proposal.

The ability to achieve dramatic cost savings without compromising design is a direct result of the specialist expertise the Bridge It NZ team has in small to medium size bridge projects.  

Bridging Expertise:
The team understood exactly what bridging solution was needed for the specific site and intended usage, therefore avoiding over-engineering and eliminating unnecessary project costs. Their expertise in bridging, environmental and safety regulations translated into a smooth, cost-effective consenting application.

Innovative problem solving:
Bridge It designed a 12m x 2.4m steel beam and chequer plate bridge to ensure longevity. In addition, the team applied a rubber non-slip coating to ensure safety of bridge users and reduce noise pollution in the park at no extra cost.

Collaboration:
Bridge It worked with Schick Civil Construction to deliver the approach works, and project managed the fill requirements of the bridge abutments, reducing the need for the Council to manage this aspect of the project.
 
Complex Installation:
Due to the nature of and access to the site Bridge It used a Hiab truck to lift and lower the bridge into place. The team were focused on maintaining a safe tidy site to enable continued  use of the park during installation, minimising disruption to the community. 

Maria Barrie, the Council’s Parks and Recreation Manager, says the collaboration with Bridge It delivered a great result for the organisation and for the community.

“As a public service organisation, we place a major emphasis on getting value for money for the investment we make on behalf of the ratepayer,” Ms Barrie says.

“Working with Bridge It on this project delivered a cost saving for us which we were very pleased with.  The company came to the table with some innovative ideas and solutions on a tricky site.

Bridge It’s work with our team gave us a great asset and an excellent result for our community.”

Download a copy of this Case Study >>