46 | Te Ahu a Turanga Alliance INFRASTRUCTURE EcoViaduct (foreground) and Parahaki Bridge, June 2025. Palmerston North, New Zealand 027 672 2507 xkv8orz@gmail.com Earthmoving and Machine Hire let's discuss your next project. brownellearthmoving.co.nz 213 Stoney Creek Rd, Palmerston North 06-356-5557 www.blackley.co.nz For all your Farm & Civil Construction Needs efforts with the moth’s habitat moved 500 metres to ensure its survival. The project’s environmental legacy includes 1.8 million planted trees and 45.6 hectares of new vegetation replacing 11.8 hectares of impacted forest. A shared-use path provides walking and cycling access along the entire route and the Western Gateway Park offers recreational facilities and viewing platforms. Importantly Te Ahu a Turanga marked a watershed moment for indigenous partnership in major infrastructure projects. For the first time in New Zealand’s history, iwi representatives served as full partners at all levels, including governance boards. “Te Ahu a Turanga represents a new paradigm for Iwi-Crown relations and provides a pathway to a partnership model for the co- design of infrastructure in Aotearoa New Zealand,” says Grant. The five iwi partners - Rangitāne o Manawatū, Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-a-Rua, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki nui-a-Rua, Te Runanga o Raukawa and Ngāti Kauwhata - influenced every aspect of the project. Grant says their involvement led to innovative approaches, including culturally sensitive fish relocation methods that proved more effective than traditional electrocution techniques. The alliance engaged 318 local suppliers and subcontractors with approximately 80 per cent of the workforce drawn from the local community. Training partnerships with organisations including Connexis, Central Skills Hub, and the Universal College of Learning provided apprenticeships and internships, creating lasting career opportunities. Safety innovations was another aspect that distinguished the project. A full-time team including a nurse, psychologist and exercise physiologist was stationed on site, responding immediately to worker wellbeing concerns. Research by Massey University confirmed that the majority of staff experienced enhanced wellbeing during the project. “Building a project like this is nothing unless we have a good safety record,” says Grant. The project’s people-centred approach emphasised ownership of safety rather than rigid compliance, utilising 3D visualisation and virtual reality tools to help workers understand hazards from multiple perspectives. The highway’s resilience features ensure it can withstand extreme weather events and seismic activity. Designed to survive a 1G earthquake, the structure includes sophisticated drainage systems with 28 large culverts and nine stormwater treatment wetlands. Cut slopes reaching 55 metres in depth feature wide benches for stability and debris collection, eliminating future maintenance requirements. Public engagement throughout the project demonstrated transparency and community commitment. Regular flyover videos attracted over 2.5 million views across social media platforms and a ‘Walk the Highway’ fundraising events allowed thousands of residents to experience the construction firsthand, raising tens of thousands of pounds for local charities. Grant says the judges’ recognition acknowledges not merely technical achievement but the very high-quality outcomes of all construction work in a challenging physical environment. T Tfrom page 44
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