By rosebell
Following that a roadheader broke through on the project’s 235m tunnel, New Zealand’s Te Ara o Te Ata, Mt Messenger Bypass, reached a significant landmark.
While this breakthrough was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Mt Messenger Alliance team delivering the project, as
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) regional manager of infrastructure delivery Rob Partridge said, this tunnel is a key feature of the future State Highway 3 route in Taranaki in the country’s North Island.
Considering that two stages in the southern and northern sections are the contents of this bypass, the quantity of earthworks on the southern section since construction began in 2022 was over than 300,000m3 and the southern-most 1km section now at road level.
While the 6.5m-high upper section of the tunnel is now completed, excavation of the 2.5m lower section is due to commence and the late February next year is the planned date for completion of full tunnel excavation.
With the aim of supporting construction of the permanent structure, work is also advancing on the project’s 125m-long bridge, with a 110m temporary staging bridge in place. Construction of the bridge’s foundations is undergoing.
Due to the ongoing legal challenges over the final parcel of land required, completing the northern section of the project remains, whereas funding and timeframes for the northern section will be confirmed once construction is able to start in this area.
According to Rob Partridge: “The breakthrough of the tunnel’s top section was a proud moment for everyone involved. It is a visible sign of the progress being made to deliver a safer and more efficient route for all road users, and to unlock long-term economic and environmental benefits for the region.The need for a more resilient and reliable route over Mt Messenger was underlined recently when heavy rain created an underslip that caused delays for road users for more than three months.”
He also added: “This achievement marks a major step forward for the southern section of the Bypass, which will replace the steep, narrow and winding stretch of SH3 over Mt Messenger with a safer, more resilient, and reliable 6km two-lane highway.”
The responsibility of delivering this Bypass is up to the Mt Messenger Alliance of NZTA, Downer, HEB Construction, Tonkin & Taylor and WSP, in partnership with Maori tribe Ngāti Tama.
