Beachcroft Avenue Footbridge, Auckland
Year of Completion 2010
A clever combination of innovative design, high-tensile steel and an unusual colour scheme has created a structure that, from the distance, looks deceptively fragile.
It's the new Beachcroft Avenue footbridge, which straddles one of Auckland's busiest stretches of road and provides cyclists and pedestrians with a safe, traffic-free connection between Hillsborough and Onehunga. The bridge is part of Auckland's 'Manukau Harbour Crossing' project being constructed by an Alliance comprising NZ Transport Agency, Fletcher Construction, Beca Infrastructure and Higgins Contractors.
The 3.5-metre-wide cable stay bridge's superstructure is supported by four pairs of M64 Macalloy Grade 460 galvanised and painted bars, which transfer the load to a steel pylon rising 25 metres above the deck.
The tendons were attached to the top of the pylon then stressed in pairs from underneath the bridge - a carefully controlled operation to maintain correct tension in the bars and shape of the bridge. The finished result was well worth the effort, as the footbridge is a picture of elegance with the overall appearance creating a distinctive landmark for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike.