Top Honours at Awards Night
Bridge It NZ won the 2014 Hirepool "Excellence in Construction Award" for a unique farm bridge project.
Bridge It NZ Ltd, formed six years ago, won category one for projects with a value of less than $0.5m for the clear-span bridge over the River Motu at Gisborne.
Our longest clear-span bridge to date
Built for farmers Mark and Jane Johnson, the bridge is the biggest clear-span bridge to date for the company. It replaced an ageing swing bridge originally built by Mark's grandfather to enable sheep to travel back and forth across the river.
Judges praised the design and construction of the 34m long steel and concrete bridge, the way the company worked to minimise environmental impact and the relationships it forged with local community.
The day the bridge was lifted into place, the company hosted and managed over 100 onlookers including children from three local schools, some of whom did school assignments on the project. Mark Johnson said: "We thought we were just getting a bridge that allowed access but in fact this has transformed the whole operation of our farm."
The bridge structure, both structural steel and precast decking, was made in Hamilton and Tauranga. The design allowed for it to be transported to and reassembled on site before a 300 tonne crane was used to lift it on to constructed abutments.
