34 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Oxcon CLL: Mangatoetoenui Bridge T T Kim Newth Fast turnaround on Desert Road bridge When the Desert Road between Tūrangi and Waiouru closed on January 13, 2025 for two months of maintenance, Oxcon’s Auckland-based civil construction team hit the ground running. Their challenge was to replace a bridge on the closed road within that tight window. In fact, they got the job done in just five weeks. Mangatoetoenui Bridge, south of Rangipō, was the last timber-decked bridge on SH1 in the Waikato. Built in 1966, its timber deck was in poor condition. NZTA took the opportunity of the road closure to have the old single-span bridge replaced. Oxcon was tasked with removing the old bridge and replacing it with a new 18-metre steel girder, precast concrete deck bridge in step with modern road design standards. The new bridge is wider and includes upgrades to guardrail systems, drainage and surfacing on both approaches. Oxcon is highly experienced in this type of work where detailed planning and efficiency is critical to achieving a fast, quality outcome that minimises disruption for road users. “We plan projects like this to a very high level of detail so we’re able to deliver on tight timeframes,” says Matt Mules, General Manager Oxcon. “We model the bridge in 3D and plan each step of the construction sequence. Our teams go down and base themselves locally before the project commences. We take the time to understand the constraints and invest energy in site investigation to assess and understand what we’re up against so we can plan with confidence.” Major components for the replacement bridge were prefabricated off-site to save time on-site – in Napier and Tauranga - with installation executed using a 600-tonne crane. “We work closely with Pollock Cranes for our craneage requirements, and they were a key partner for us on this project. The site is in a bit of a gully with steep approaches on either side so setting up the crane was challenging, requiring extensive temporary works.” Along with Pollock Cranes, other key partners for Oxcon on this project were steel provider Eastbridge and concrete partner Preco. Concrete supply was split between Taupō and Taihape. The bridge itself was designed by Beca with a solution that enabled a highly efficient construction methodology. Waste reduction was prioritised on this project - with steel girders from the old bridge removed for future use by NZTA – as was environmental management, with care taken on containment and placement of laydown areas to prevent debris, runoff or sedimentation from entering the Mangatoetoenui Stream. All works were safely delivered without any incidents, with risks actively managed throughout. Oxcon CLL Ltd was formed in 2021, born out of a successful alliance between long standing joint venture partners Oxcon and CLL. Since 2021, Oxcon CLL Limited has grown quickly, but the team has retained their focus on efficient and professional project delivery. “We’re really enjoying our work in the bridge replacement space, which is now quite a focus for us. We take a lot of satisfaction out of efficiently upgrading these types of assets and, by extension, helping to address New Zealand’s productivity challenges. “We’re currently doing a similar project for NZTA – the Boundary Creek Bridge, north of Thames. We’re progressively growing our capability and track record with a focus on bridges and bridge replacements, where efficiency is super important.” Oxcon brings it all together, from detailed planning and sound risk management to deployment of a highly capable delivery team supported by trusted supply chain partners. “We’re looking forward to being involved in a lot more of these bridge replacement projects, not just for NZTA but also local councils. “We’re excited about the future and are well positioned to deliver projects that require a really high performing, highly capable team and top level planning, backed with past success on high pressure, fast programmes.” New Zealand’s Leading Delivery service The C.V Compton eet enables us to offer a wide range of service types. Each of our vehicles is designed to meet performance criteria in each of its capabilities. This approach to eet make up and design allows us unrivalled exibility, ensuring that we can deliver on our customers expectations in full, on time and in speci cation. We deliver directly to you, no matter the location (09) 634 3063 Despatch@cvcompton.co.nz cvcompton.co.nz Reliable Experienced NZ Owned
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