Viaduct Bascule Bridge

It is a steel bascule rolling truss bridge. The Auckland Harbour Board installed it to span the 13.7m between the Eastern and Western Viaducts. It originally carried a railway connected to oil loading facilities on Wynyard Wharf and was raised and lowered at the arrival and departure of the fishing fleet.

It was manually operated and raised by rolling back 90° on its cam ends under counterweight. A pinion moved along a horizontal rack at the height of the centre of the cam-end circle. Later driven by electricity, it was in use until the development of the Maritime Museum on Hobson Wharf in 1992.

Now it’s used as a thoroughfare between Wynyard Quarter and the city centre and has been preserved for its engineering heritage value.

Deck replacement

Because the Viaduct Bascule Bridge is now over 90 years old, its decking had to be completely replaced in 2023. This will extend the deck's lifespan by a further 50 years or more.

Upper structure maintenance

In the coming months, the upper structure will undergo renewal. This will include removing the existing coating, repairing any corroded areas, and applying a protective membrane. The work is expected to start around late-September/early-October 2024 and will take at least two and a half months to complete.

Please note: Apart from the first and last days of the project, full access to Te Wero Island for vehicles and pedestrians will be maintained

What to expect:

• Initial closure: On the first day of the project, the bridge will be closed to allow for the installation of scaffolding. The scaffolding will be wrapped in a protective covering to contain dust and debris. During this time, access to and from Te Wero Island will be unavailable. The area under the wrap will form a tunnel measuring 3 metres wide by 2.5 metres high.
  
  
• Reopening and blasting works: Once the scaffolding and wrap is up, the bridge will be reopened for access, and blasting work will begin. Contractors will have spotters in place to ensure blasting stops whenever pedestrians or vehicles are passing underneath.
  
  
• Re-coating and final closure: After the blasting is complete, the structure will be re-coated, and once the coating is dry, the scaffolding and protective wrap will be removed. Access to Te Wero Island will again be unavailable on this final day.

We will provide an update on the project's timing as more information becomes available.