29 Jul 2016

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Christchurch’s newest overbridge has opened to traffic, providing an important link between the growing south-western suburbs of Christchurch and the city centre.

The Wigram Magdala Link connects the communities either side of Curletts Rd and was completed ahead of time and under budget. It joins Wigram Rd and Magdala Place, better connecting the south-west of the city with Riccarton and Addington.

It is also a key part of the Little River Link Major Cycle Route that stretches from the central city to Little River through Addington via the motorway and Lincoln.

The project was started in 2009 as part of the South West Area Transport Assessment to improve travel connectivity in the area and to provide a connection for pedestrians and cyclists moving along the shared path beside the Southern Motorway.

“The Wigram Magdala Link is an important connector for both the local community around the overbridge and for cyclists travelling further afield on the Little River Link cycleway. It is great to see it operational,’’ said Cr Phil Clearwater, Chairman of the Christchurch City Council’s Infrastructure, Transport and Environment Committee.

“The population around Wigram is growing and the Link will be an important piece of infrastructure for that community.”

Jim Harland, New Zealand Transport Agency Regional Director, said the Wigram Magdala Link was an important new access road that would help ease congestion, improve journey times and keep everyone moving in the southwest of Christchurch.

"It is particularly important for the residential and industrial growth areas of Wigram and Halwell as it provides motorists and cyclists with a direct link through to the Central City." He said the Transport Agency's investment of $16 million in the $30 million project recognised the significance of the road as a service link for industrial and business parks in the area, helping to get freight to markets on time.

Graham Crow, Hawkins Regional Infrastructure Manager, said it was particularly pleased to be delivering this project well ahead of schedule so the Christchurch community could start benefitting significantly earlier than anticipated.

The overpass is believed to the first in the world to use quake-resilient technology developed in Christchurch by Canterbury University engineers.

The connections at the bridge piers have been designed to sustain different levels of earthquakes without damaging the columns.

“The engineering design incorporates novel dissipative fuses and post-tensioning cables acting as rubber bands to allow the bridge columns to bounce back to the original position and not leaning in one side. The University of Canterbury is the first institution and New Zealand is the first country in the world to have it implemented in a real structure,’’ said University of Canterbury Associate Professor Alessandro Palermo said.

“This bridge can be seen as the Ferrari of structures – high performance and safe,’’ he said.