Small programme gains are adding up on one of our current major construction projects with the Lower Queen Street Bridge Capacity upgrade now likely to be finished earlier than expected.

When work kicked off last May, the original planned opening of the new structure was scheduled for August 2026, but now the project team is confident that it will be two or three months earlier than that.

The upgrade means Borck Creek that runs under the bridge, will have its flow capacity increased from the current 35 cubic metres a second to allow to a flow of 105 cubic metres a second.

The new bridge is starting to rapidly take shape with the first span of 17 huge concrete beams going into place a couple of weeks ago - you can now see the full width of the structure.

There will be three spans of 17 beams in place on the completed bridge before the final carriageway is formed over it.

The forecast for early completion is good news for businesses in the Lower Queen Street area and for more than 12 thousand vehicles, many of them large trucks that use the road every day.