Work is really taking shape on the Lower Queen Street Bridge replacement, and we’re about to welcome some impressive machinery to help us along the way.

The new bridge will be bigger and better, designed to let water flow more freely during heavy rain and help reduce the risk of flooding.

It’s been a busy few weeks on site. Crews have already relocated three large sewer pipes, along with two raw water lines and a water main. Raw water is the water that comes from the main bore before it gets treated.

A 250-tonne crawler crane is being brought onto site by nine trucks and will be erected on an especially strengthen pad.

We need to close Lower Queen Street overnight, between 6.00pm and 6.00am next Wednesday 3 September for erection of the crane.

The road will need to be closed again, the following night Thursday 4 September for the same period, as we realign two large water mains.

During the overnight closures vehicles will need to use the same detour route as previously, along McShane Road.

The giant crane will take care of the heavy lifting, driving piles deep into the ground for the temporary bridge on the bypass road, before moving on to piling the new permanent bridge.

The piling work will be underway for two to three months leading up to Christmas, and while it will be a bit noisy at times, it’s an exciting sign of progress and if everything goes to plan, we will be opening the temporary bypass road in October.