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Heritage Bridges

With more than 250 heritage buildings in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula demolished after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, preserving and protecting those heritage structures that survived took on greater significance for the people of Christchurch.

The Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) was tasked by the public entities funding its work programme with repairing 10 heritage bridges. Several were in the central city and all demanded painstaking care and attention to detail.

The restoration of these vulnerable structures, the oldest more than 150 years old, presented both significant and satisfying challenges for those who worked on them.

The rebuild work and repairs were collaborative projects between SCIRT, the Christchurch City Council’s heritage team and advocate Heritage New Zealand. The aim of all organisations was to retain as much of the original structures as possible.

The engineering work required meticulous attention to detail and some creative solutions to meet heritage requirements while ensuring the bridges were made safe for the use of the public.

To read more about the engineering and heritage challenges and the procedures required, please refer to the documents below.

Attachments

Protecting the past - Restoring heritage bridges Cover
Protecting the past - Restoring heritage bridges

A document which describes the processes that SCIRT took when repairing some of Christchurch's heritage bridges.

Size:

881.76 KB

Heritage guide for Delivery Teams Cover
Heritage guide for Delivery Teams

A guideline created for SCIRT Delivery Teams which outlines the requirements for working around heritage items.

Size:

1.49 MB

Armagh Street bridge - award application Cover
Armagh Street bridge - award application

An award application for the Civil Contractors NZ Hirepool Construction Excellence Awards 2015 which details Downer's approach to repairing the Armagh Street bridge.

Size:

8.88 MB

Armagh Street bridge - heritage diary Cover
Armagh Street bridge - heritage diary

A document which details Downer's approach to heritage management when repairing the Armagh Street bridge.

Size:

1.01 MB

Armagh Street bridge - photographic record of the works Cover
Armagh Street bridge - photographic record of the works

A document containing photographs of SCIRT's Armagh Street bridge repairs.

Size:

791.65 KB

Gloucester Street bridge, Christchurch - report on archaeological monitoring Cover
Gloucester Street bridge, Christchurch - report on archaeological monitoring

A report which details the archaeological monitoring carried out during the course of SCIRT project 11136, repairs to the Gloucester Street bridge.

Size:

2.98 MB

Gloucester Street bridge - public relations flyer Cover
Gloucester Street bridge - public relations flyer

A public relations flyer which outlines the repairs undertaken on the Gloucester Street bridge.

Size:

2.86 MB

Gloucester Street bridge - run sheet for bridge opening Cover
Gloucester Street bridge - run sheet for bridge opening

A run sheet which details who will do what at the opening of the Gloucester Street bridge.

Size:

986.78 KB

The Strengthening of Heritage Bridges - Construction Challenges Cover
The Strengthening of Heritage Bridges - Construction Challenges

A conference paper prepared for the 4th Australasian Engineering Heritage Conference which outlines the challenges faced by SCIRT when repairing the Armagh Bridge, Colombo Bridge and Antigua Bridge.

Size:

1.09 MB

Beca Heritage Week brochure - Central City Cover
Beca Heritage Week brochure - Central City

A brochure created for Beca Heritage Week 2014, outlining SCIRT's repair work on heritage structures in the Central City. It was handed out to members of the public at SCIRT's walk and talk tours.

Size:

3.85 MB

Beca Heritage Week Armagh Street and Colombo Street bridges - posters Cover
Beca Heritage Week Armagh Street and Colombo Street bridges - posters

Posters created for Beca Heritage Week 2014, outlining SCIRT's repair work on the Armagh Street and Colombo Street bridges in the Central City. They were hung on the bridges for members of the public to read during SCIRT's walk and talk tours.

Size:

7.21 MB

Gloucester Street bridge - video Cover
Gloucester Street bridge - video

A video which describes the history of the bridge and SCIRT's repair methodology.

Size:

13.65 MB