New Airlie Road Bridge – From Historic to Future Proof

A new two-lane bridge opens in Plimmerton this month to meet the needs of the growing population in Porirua's northern suburbs.

The new Airlie Rd bridge replaces a wooden, one-lane bridge that has serviced the community for 75 years.

It will be formally opened at a ceremony on Wednesday, October 17 at 2pm.

The Airlie Rd bridge is a link for Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay residents to SH1 and is particularly important as an alternate transport route in the event of a motorway closure.

"This is an important connection for our city and one we felt deserved investment. The old bridge has served us well, but it was time to replace it and bring it up to modern day standards," says Mayor Nick Leggett.

The new concrete bridge has been built to cope with increasing traffic volumes over its 100 year life expectancy and will have none of the old bridge's speed and weight restrictions.

The bridge includes a pedestrian walkway and has been future-proofed with spare ducting to carry broadband and upgraded services as they become available. It also allows room for a third railway line to be laid underneath if required.

The new bridge replaces an historic 1937 one-lane, weight-restricted wooden bridge over railway lines, known locally by some as the "black bridge".

The name arises from the legend that the bridge was sufficiently low to decapitate incautious trainmen. It had in fact been built to normal railway standards and there is no evidence that anyone was ever decapitated.

The old bridge timbers will have new life in local community projects being developed in partnership with Porirua City Council through the Village Planning Programme.

In Pukerua Bay it is to be used for pou to mark historical (gold) and environmental (green) trails through the village and in Plimmerton it will become the edging around a petanque court in Karehana Park.

"It's great to see the old bridge being used in new community projects," says Mayor Leggett. "It has served the community well in its 75 years and it's really pleasing to see it continue to be a part of village life."

NB: The old Airlie Rd was opened in 1937 the same years as the Hindenburg German airship disaster, the Coronation of George VI, the opening of California's Golden Gate Bridge, the year Neville Chamberlain became Britain's Prime Minister, aviator Amelia Earhart disappeared and the first edition of the Hobbit was published.

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