New Culverts Completed on SH3 to Boost Resilience and Safety in Taranaki

Two new culverts have now been completed on State Highway 3 (SH3) north of New Plymouth, as part of the Government’s priority bridge replacement programme, helping to improve the resilience of this critical lifeline, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

Building better resilience into our infrastructure is a priority for the Government. SH3 is a critical lifeline for freight, tourism, and all communities living alongside it, and I’m pleased to see work to replace and upgrade these two culverts completed, Mr Bishop says.

We’ve seen in recent weeks how crucial SH3 is to road users, particularly the impacts of weather events through Awakino Gorge. While these culverts are further south of the gorge, replacing them before they fail is important for future proofing the route.

Water, and keeping it away from our roads, is one of the greatest challenges facing the resilience of our roading network. We need to make sure all new culverts and bridges are designed with the future in mind. They need to better be able to handle water flow and divert it appropriately away from our roads.

The ageing Mangapepeke No. 1 and Mangapepeke No. 2 culverts were part of the government’s priority bridge replacement programme and work to replace them was delivered at the same time. These new culverts measure 21 and 30 metres in length, while one is 3 by 3 metres and the other is 4 metres in diameter. These new culverts both have a lifespan of 100 years.

The work to repair or upgrade nine priority bridges and culverts was given the green light in July 2024 as part of the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP). Since then, a further five priority locations have been added, and NZTA is progressing design, consenting, and contracting so work can start.

Fixing the basics of our roading network is a priority for this Government, and with many bridges across the country requiring speed and weight restrictions due to their age and condition, it is essential priority bridges are replaced when funding is available with more modern and resilient structures.

Our state highways are critical routes for freight and tourism and serve as important lifelines for communities around New Zealand. We expect our state highway bridges to be well maintained and properly managed, which is why this replacement and maintenance work is so important.

Further inland, on the State Highway 43 Forgotten World Highway, near Taumarunui, work is almost complete on the Kururau Stream Water Drive bridge replacement. The previous structure is a hand dug culvert, which is about 80 years old, and has suffered natural erosion over time. The new modern 20-metre bridge bypasses the old structure with an improved road alignment.

The new bridge is a more resilient solution and ensures SH43 will remain safe and reliable for years to come.The majority of the bridge’s construction has been carried out away from the existing road, meaning there’s been minimal impact to road users. Final work on this bridge is expected to be complete mid-June.

I want to thank local communities for their patience and understanding as these works have been carried out and the crews working on the projects.

Notes to editor: Bridges/culverts set to be replaced in the 2024-27 NLTP period: SH3 Mangapepeke No. 1 Culvert, Taranaki (new addition for 2024-27 period) SH3 Mangapepeke No. 2 Culvert, Taranaki SH43 Kururau Stream Water Drive, Whanganui SH25 Pepe Stream Bridge, Coromandel SH82 Elephant Hill Bridge, South Canterbury SH82 Waihao North Bridge, South Canterbury SH6 Coal Creek Overbridge, West Coast SH25 Ramarama Stream Bridge, Waikato SH27 Ohinekaua Bridge, Waikato SH36 Hauraki Stream Culvert, Bay of Plenty Bridge maintenance renewal works: SH25 Boundary Creek Bridge, Coromandel (new addition for 2024-27 period) SH35 Mangahauini No. 1 Bridge, Gisborne (new addition for 2024-27 period) SH38 Frasertown Bridge, Hawke’s Bay (new addition for 2024-27 period) SH50 Ngaruroro River Bridge, Hawke’s Bay (new addition for 2024-27 period) Other announcements recently made: SH2 Pekatahi Bridge, Bay of Plenty. Design and pre-implementation work for a two-lane replacement is underway. Construction is expected to be within the 2027-30 NLTP once funding is approved and a contractor is appointed.

This programme excludes bridges being replaced due to weather event damage.