Nu-Guard® 31 helps keep the MHX project on schedule
The MHX is a key existing motorway bridge connecting Auckland and Manukau City. The existing crossing services SH20 from the city to the Airport and the local community between Onehunga and Mangere Bridge township.
The bridge was completed in 1984 and regularly becomes congested at peak times. A duplicate bridge is being built by the Manukau Harbour Crossing project (MHX) to the east of it and together they will accommodate four traffic lanes and a shoulder lane in each direction. The $230 million NZTA project, being delivered by the MHX Alliance, will double motorway capacity on the Southwestern Motorway between Queenstown Road in the north and Walmsley Road in the south.
After more than 2 years of construction the duplicate bridge is ahead of schedule with more than half of the bridge’s 142 deck segments completed. Motorway widening south of the bridge is substantially complete and widening north of the bridge should be completed by mid 2010.
“The MHX Alliance have chosen Nu-Guard® 31 Steel Guardrail System for this project and have ordered more than 3.5kms from us,” said Raymond Kuys, Business Development Engineer. “Nu-Guard has Test Level 4 (TL4) approval as opposed to the TL3 W Beam System on timber posts, for similar cost, which will make parts of the MHX safer where installed.”
“As large sections of roading are completed we are required to install the road side barrier as quickly as possible so the road can be opened to the public,” said Troy Wheeler, Troy Wheeler Contracting. “It is very demanding at times as we are the last contractor on site before the road is opened and the pressure can be on, so it is great that we are installing Nu-Guard® 31 Steel Guardrail System as it is much quicker to install than timber barrier. We don’t have the luxury of large grass verges to work from on Auckland’s Motorways so the quicker we can install the barrier, the least disruption there is to traffic flows.”
| “Coordinating the installation of the barriers has gone very smoothly from our perspective,” said David Scott, Project Engineer, MHX Alliance. “Nu-Cor is generally quicker and easier to install for Troy, assisting with keeping the project on or ahead of schedule.” |
The bridge completion date is estimated to be early 2011 or earlier if the Alliance continues it’s current rapid progress.
“We commend the Alliance Team for good design choice and great project management skills,” added Raymond.