10 October 2008

Walk across first cable-stayed traffic bridge

Pedestrians and cyclists will be amongst the first to use New Zealand's first cable-stayed traffic bridge at its official opening tomorrow.

The Ormiston Road Bridge in Flat Bush, Manukau is being officially opened tomorrow from 10am - 2pm. It is a community event for people in the area to walk or cycle across the bridge before it opens to traffic later in the weekend.

The Ormiston Road Bridge is one of the first major projects to be completed in the development of the new town of Flat Bush. Taking shape on 1700 hectares, Flat Bush is one of a kind in New Zealand. It's the country's largest and most comprehensively planned new town, expected to be home to at least 40,000 people by 2020.

The Ormiston Road bridge is New Zealand's first cable-stayed traffic bridge. It is 27 metres wide with four traffic lanes, two cycle lanes and footpaths on both sides. The bridge deck is supported on two 70m long box girder beams suspended from concrete pylons 46 metres high.

The bridge is supported by 20 cable stays ranging from 20 to 53 metres long with strengths of up to 800 tonnes. Nearly 70km of wires had to be measured and cut accurately to length for the cable stays.

The opening event for the community is also an opportunity to find out more about what is planned for Flat Bush.

The bridge and Ormiston Road from Chapel to Murphys Road will be open to traffic on Sunday 12 October.

The bridge is designed to lift the road above the 100 year flood plain and allow access underneath it between the two sides of Barry Curtis Park.

The bridge cost $6.5 million to build and other work done in the area to improve the roads, install traffic lights and put in underground services cost approximately $10 million. The project was jointly funded by Manukau City Council and Land Transport New Zealand.

About Flat Bush

Flat Bush is New Zealand's largest and most comprehensively planned new town, taking shape on 1700 hectares in the south east of Manukau. It will be home to at least 40,000 people by 2020, a similar population to Nelson.

Not just another collection of subdivisions, Flat Bush will have a strong focus on people and the environment, large amounts of open space and high urban design standards.

While most of Flat Bush is being developed by the private sector, Manukau City Council is playing a strong role in planning and creating the town.

The new town has a unique focus on environmental sustainability, for example natural waterways and gullies are being retained to create a 45km green network throughout Flat Bush. As well as providing a slice of nature only five minutes walk from most households, they are also important in managing stormwater and providing for wildlife and native bush.

The heart and soul of Flat Bush, a new 20 hectare town centre, will be integrated with the new 94 hectare Barry Curtis Park, and built around a traditional main street concept. It will have a wide diversity of shops, cafes, offices, community facilities and apartments, bringing vitality, interest and character.

Council company Tomorrow's Manukau Properties Limited (TMPL) owns the town centre land and has an agreement with Melview Developments to complete the town centre design and develop it.

Flat Bush will also have five smaller neighbourhood centres and a mixture of housing densities. Seven new state schools will be built, as well as the Baverstock Oaks primary school which opened in 2005.

One of the major features of Flat Bush will be Barry Curtis Park which has been designed to create 'a regionally significant park that reflects the people and cultures of Manukau.'

The council's work on Flat Bush won the Gold award for Environmentally Sustainable Project at the 2007 International Awards for Liveable Communities.

ENDS

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