15 January 2015 | NZ Transport Agency - Waikato & Bay of Plenty

Cambridge’s Peake Road overbridge opens to traffic tomorrow

The Peake Road overbridge officially opens to traffic tomorrow, marking a major milestone on the Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway.

The 6.1 metre high structure is the first of eight bridges to be finished on the Cambridge section.

The bridge design includes an extra-wide shared pathway, suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and horses to use, and provides access to the nearby Cambridge Jockey Club.

The NZ Transport Agency’s project services manager Peter Simcock says the opening is a significant milestone and visible evidence that the Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway is making good progress.

The over bridge was blessed by mana whenua on Wednesday morning and given its official name - Te Ara o Te Waharoa, before opening to traffic this morning.

The opening means Cambridge’s Forrest Road will be permanently closed to traffic from Friday.

“Traffic travelling down Forrest Road will now use either Racecourse Road or Hautapu Road to travel north or south over the Expressway, via the Peake Road overbridge,” Mr Simcock says.

Mr Simcock says the project is moving ahead well and the team is on track to complete the Cambridge section by July 2016.

“About 1.2 million cubic metres of earthworks have been moved to date and there is about 400,000 cubic metres to go before the project is complete,” he says.

“Approximately 149,000 tonnes of aggregate, equivalent to 5000 truck and trailer loads and about 6500 tonnes of metal is being brought to the site each day.”

Mr Simcock says the rest of January is going to be very busy, with more earthworks, pavement works and the ongoing construction of the remaining seven bridges underway.

“During this time we’d like to remind people to be aware of safety around the site and drive with care,” he says.

The Waikato Expressway is one of seven Roads of National Significance (RoNS) based around New Zealand's five largest population centres. The RoNS have been identified by Government as key projects for moving people and freight between and within these centres more safely and efficiently

To keep up to date with progress on the project:

Visit the Information Centre, 129 Victoria Road Cambridge (open 9am-3pm Mon to Fri excluding public holidays)

Go to the website: www.nzta.govt.nz/cambridge

Or view our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/waikatoexpressway

ENDS

Editors note: The area around Peake Road was where Te Waharoa and his people would gather to meet and discuss matters of the day. At least three large pa sites were located in the area and there was frequent use of the traditional walking tracks in this area. Te Waharoa was of Ngaati Kauwhata, Ngaati Haua, Ngaati Rangiwewehi descent. He was paramount chief of Ngati Hauaa and was the top war strategist of his time in New Zealand to 1865.

FACT BOX:

Peake Road Bridge/ Te Ara o Te Waharoa

First of eight bridges to open on the Cambridge Section of the Waikato Expressway

6.1m high

14m wide

45m long

Weighs approximately 1300 Ton

340,000 Ton of concrete used on the bridge deck (that’s the weight of about 49 male African elephants).

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