The cost of repair and maintenance of the Auckland Harbour Bridge nearly doubled to $22.4 million in the year to June, as the bridge’s original paint coating reaches the end of its designed life, requiring a full re-paint.<\/p>\n
The bridge officially opened in May 1959, with ‘clip-on’ lanes added and completed in 1969. Currently, more than 160,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily and 62 full-time staff are employed for work related to the maintenance of the bridge.<\/p>\n
New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) figures released under the Official Information Act showed that the amount spent on the bridge increased from $12.2m in the 2023\/2024 financial year, to $22.4m in the 2024\/2025 financial year.<\/p>\n
NZTA said the increase in spending was due to the Truss Bridge Refurbishment Project, which started in 2024\/25.<\/p>\n
It said the project would see the original paint stripped to the bare steel and the application of a new paint coating.<\/p>\n
“Note that the previous AHB maintenance strategy was to maximise the life of the original coatings by undertaking spot repairs and over-coating as required.<\/p>\n
“We are now at the end of the paint coating’s design life, which is why the Truss Bridge Refurbishment Project is required,” it said.<\/p>\n
NZTA said there had been an increase in cost for the design and management of this project, which was usual, when starting a major project.<\/p>\n
Over the next five years, it expected funding for the bridge would remain at a similar level to the 2024\/25 financial year or slightly more, due to the refurbishment project and coating renewals<\/p>\n
In recent years, there had been continued debate over the plan for a second Waitemat\u0101 Harbour crossing.<\/p>\n
Prior to the 2023 elections, Labour announced a plan to build two road tunnels and one light rail tunnel across the harbour \u2013 estimated to cost up to $45 billion.<\/p>\n
In March, Minister of Transport Chris Bishop put out appeals for international input on a second harbour crossing.<\/p>\n
He said he expected to announce a preferred option in mid-2026.<\/p>\n
In September, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown revealed his proposal for a second crossing \u2013 a bridge stretching from Meola Reef to North Shore’s Kauri Point \u2013 as a cheaper alternative.<\/p>\n