A new permanent strut has been successfully installed on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, replacing the one damaged 16 days ago.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge strut was repaired first with a temporary strut, and later with a permanent fix. Photo: Supplied/ NZTA
Most lanes on the bridge were closed overnight so the nearly 23 metre long, 5 tonne steel strut could be erected. The outside clip-on lanes were then partially reopened by mid-morning today.
The Transport Agency's Brett Gliddon says the work will go through quality control assessments, and the two centre lanes remain closed so engineers can return the bridge's weight distribution to its usual balance.
Auckland commuters are urged to continue to be avoid the harbour bridge if possible, until it is fully opened.
"We'll do some survey over the next few days, our engineers and our peer reviewers will run that back through the model," Gliddon says.
"Once we're a hundred percent happy then we'll be able to reopen it back to full operation, eight lanes, which we hope to do later next week."
He urged people to plan ahead for travel disruptions this week, until all the lanes reopen, and to try to take public transport where possible.
The bridge was damaged on 18 September, when a truck was blown partly over and impacted with a structural beam on the bridge, and four of the eight lanes were closed.
A temporary beam was put in place overnight on 22 September, allowing more traffic to use the bridge while repairs were being carried out.