By 1news.co.nz
Transport Minister Michael Wood was among the Saturday crowds who walked the newly opened bridge which provides a new link between Auckland’s Onehunga and Māngere suburbs.
:quality(70):focal(-5x-5:5x5)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/tvnz/HMBVHG2PZVATVAI5AU2UHM67SA.jpg)
The bridge has been named Ngā Hau Māngere by mana whenua, which means the “gentle lazy winds”.
The Old Māngere Bridge, which connected the two suburbs for over 100 years, closed for good in late 2018 due to safety concerns.
Work on the new bridge started in 2019. It was originally expected to cost $16 million, but the projected price tag grew to $38 million before construction started.
The works were delayed by Covid-19 and ground to a halt during the alert level 4 lockdown in 2020.
Wood told 1News the bridge is a significant, “stunning structure”.
“It’s a connecter, it’s a place for people to gather. For four years there hasn’t been that direct connection for these communities to be able to come together. And the previous bridge had been there for over 100 years, so it really cut things off.
:quality(70):focal(-5x-5:5x5)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/tvnz/VFBVQM5MWNAV7DQLBCTIV64FFA.jpg)
He said he expected to see thousands of people using the bridge in years to come.
“It’s just a magic project for our local communities and it’s a key part of building a safe walking and cycling network so that people have real transport choices in Auckland.”
Wood described the structure as “beautiful”.
:quality(70):focal(-5x-5:5x5)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/tvnz/PLKECCFFPNEN3BI2JKY4KLWCPI.jpg)
“People are blown away by the quality of this piece of infrastructure. It’s streets ahead of the old Māngere Bridge – it’s wide, it’s safe, there’s plenty of room for everyone,” he said.
Wood said everyone he spoke to today as he walked the bridge “is just absolutely thrilled” they have the new connection in their community.
Additional reporting by Local Democracy Reporter Stephen Forbes.
