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PYJAMA DAY FUN
Students step up for Santa. See page 4
AWARD-WINNING VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY – NZCNA Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Est. 1972
General 09 271 8000 Classified 09 271 8055 Delivery Enquiries 09 271 8000 Website www.times.co.nz
TRANSPORT
Bridge moves forward
The first of the steel bridge spans was delivered to the construction site earlier in the year and are the largest single steel spans ever to be fabricated in New Zealand. Times photo Wayne Martin
I
n a first for New Zealand, a new bridge is being slowly pushed across the Tamaki River as part of the $1.4 billion Eastern Busway. There are four spans and each one is connected to the section behind it. Each launch of the bridge is around 50 metres and will take up to 10 days to inch across the river. Mayor Phil Goff said this con-
struction method is a first for the country and speeds up the assembly. “The first of the steel bridge spans was delivered to the construction site earlier in the year and are the largest single steel spans ever to be fabricated in New Zealand.” The new busway bridge is more than 200 metres in length and contains 1000 tonnes
of steel and 2000 tonnes of concrete. “It’s a feat of engineering and will be an integral part of the completed busway, supporting high frequency bus travel between Panmure and Pakuranga and eventually Botany once the full project is completed in 2025,” said Goff. “Thanks to funding provided through the regional fuel tax,
this project will transform east Auckland and deliver the transport infrastructure needed to accommodate population growth and support the provision of new housing. “Most importantly it will give locals real transport choice and go a long way to easing traffic congestion in the east of our city.” ➤ Turn to page 3
Vol 49, No 26
DROUGHT
Water restrictions extended Water restrictions are likely to remain in place this summer. A long-range weather forecast reaffirming earlier predictions of an extremely dry spring means it’s now more important than ever for Aucklanders to save water, says Watercare. Auckland received 40 per cent less rainfall than normal in Auckland between November 2019 and May 2020, making it the region’s worst drought on record. Despite recent rainfall, Auckland’s total dam storage level is currently 60 per cent, when normally at this time of year it would be above 85 per cent. MetService meteorologist Georgina Griffiths says August looks likely to deliver some decent rainfall to Auckland, but that’s where the good news ends. “Our long-range models have always been keen on a drier spring for Auckland. The latest forecasts continue to signal an extended run of well-below-normal rainfall between September and December. The main culprit is expected to be frequent high pressure on our weather maps, meaning a lower turnout for the rain makers. “There is the possibility of tropical storms providing a good dose of rain early next year, but it really is too early to tell, and even if they do arrive, we would need the rain to fall in the right places.” Last month, thunderstorms that flooded the Coromandel and Northland almost missed the Hunua Ranges entirely. ➤ Turn to page 5
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