Client: Waka Kotahi, New Zealand Transport Agency

Contractor: McConnell Dowell Constructors Ltd

Status: Completed 2013

The Kawarau Falls Bridge is a two-lane road bridge, 250m long by 14m wide. The bridge crosses the Kawarau River at the edge of Frankton Arm, approximately 2km south of Queenstown Airport and Frankton. The project includes embankment stabilisation at the road approaches, upgrade of the existing heritage bridge to become a dedicated walking and cycling facility, an underpass on the northern side to provide safe cyclist and pedestrian access to the Queenstown Trails network, and riverbank landscape and planting. New water and wastewater pipelines were also installed underneath the bridge for Queenstown Lakes District Council, to future-proof land development south of Frankton.

The urban design of the bridge and its features is complementary to the Queenstown/Frankton setting. The horizontal nature of the bridge is emphasised through simple form, minimising vertical elements and through subtle horizontal lines, such as folding of the exterior face of the barriers. The curved alignment is also emphasised underneath using curved beams, visible from the river and south bank walkway.