Te Rewa Rewa Bridge

The bridge is part of the northern extension to the Coastal Walkway, connecting New Plymouth with Bell Block. The extension was made possible by a special agreement between Ngāti Tawhirikura hapū and the New Plymouth District Council. A historic pā is located on the north river bank and this was the site of a battle during the Musket Wars; the site is a burial ground (Rewa Rewa).{{cite journal|last=Frances|first=Helen|title=Iconic Te Rewa Rewa|journal=E.nz Magazine|date=July–August 2010|volume=11/4|pages=31–34|publisher=IPENZ|location=Wellington|issn=1175-2025}} The bridge is located in a semi-rural area.

The bridge was commissioned by New Plymouth District Council and designed and constructed by a consortium of Whitaker Civil Engineering, Novare Design Ltd, Apex Consultants Ltd (now Spiire) and Fitzroy Engineering (now DIALOG Fitzroy).{{cite web|url= http://www.newplymouthnz.com/LivinginNewPlymouth/Projects/CoastalWalkwayExtension.htm |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090508024938/http://www.newplymouthnz.com/LivinginNewPlymouth/Projects/CoastalWalkwayExtension.htm |archivedate=8 May 2009 |title=Coastal Walkway Extension|publisher=NPDC}} The bridge was funded by New Plymouth District Council and the Whitaker family.{{cite news| url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/6186610/Whitakers-bridge| title=Whitaker's bridge| date=24 December 2011| publisher=Taranaki Daily News| first=Matt| last=Rilkoff}}

File:Te Rewa Rewa1.jpg

The designer, Peter Mulqueen, is quoted as saying he understood that the bridge should "touch lightly" on the Rewa Rewa side of the river, in order to honour the deceased. This ruled out heavier designs like cable stays and angular truss structures. Mulqueen wanted to achieve a bridge with a "harmonious and dignified character".

With the ribs yielding to the prevailing wind, the bridge is aligned to Mount Taranaki. The sacred mountain is framed within the skewed arch when viewed while leaving the sacred ground – promising what is eternal.

The {{convert|68.8|m}} bridge is designed to accommodate an ambulance and other service vehicles. It is made of three steel tubes; two beneath the deck and the remaining one, together with 19 ribs, forming a distinctive arch. 85 t of fabrication steel, 62 t of reinforcing steel and {{convert|550|m3|cuft|abbr=on}} of concrete have been used for its construction. The bridge deck has been placed at {{convert|4.5|m}} above normal flow level to withstand both floods and lahars from volcanic eruptions.

A major challenge was to transport the {{convert|85|m}} long and 85 t superstructure onto the site, including across a private golf course. River contamination and disturbance was to be avoided, so no temporary piers were used.

The bridge was officially opened on 5 June 2010.{{cite news|last=Johnston |first=Kirsty |title=$2.8m structure open for business |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/3783089/2-8m-structure-open-for-business |accessdate=12 September 2010|newspaper=Taranaki Daily News |date=7 June 2010}} In July 2010, its first full month of operation, the bridge was used by 55,756 cyclists and pedestrians.

• 2011 Arthur G. Hayden Medal for a single recent outstanding achievement in bridge engineering demonstrating innovation in special use bridges.{{cite web|url=http://www.eswp.com/bridge/awards.htm|title=International Bridge Conference®: Bridge Awards 2011|publisher=Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211054722/http://www.eswp.com/bridge/awards.htm|archivedate=2009-02-11}}
• 2011 Ingenium Excellence Awards.{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/5165068/| title=Elegant bridge earns top award for engineers|date=20 June 2011|first=Kate|last=Saunders|publisher=Taranaki Daily News}}
• 2011 International Footbridge Award in the aesthetics category (medium span).{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/5246346/Te-Rewa-Rewa-best-in-the-world| title=Te Rewa Rewa 'best in the world'|date=7 July 2011|first=Jo|last=Moir|publisher=Taranaki Daily News}}
• 2011 Supreme Award from industry group Roading New Zealand{{cite press release|title=Iconic New Plymouth bridge wins 2011 Roading Award|url=http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2011/08/iconic-new-plymouth-bridge-wins-2011-roading-award/|accessdate=31 August 2011|publisher=Roading New Zealand|date=30 August 2011}}
• 2011 Taranaki Master Builders supreme award for a commercial facility{{cite web| url=http://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/iconic-bridge-wins-five-awards-1/| title=Iconic bridge wins five awards| first=Stephen| last=Dickens| publisher=ArchitectureNow| date=28 October 2011}}

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{{Commons category|Te Rewa Rewa Bridge}}

• [http://www.newplymouthnz.com/LivinginNewPlymouth/Projects/CoastalWalkwayExtension.htm Coastal Walkway Extension]

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Category:Steel bridges in New Zealand

Category:Cycleways in New Zealand

Category:Cyclist bridges in New Zealand

Category:Pedestrian bridges in New Zealand

Category:Bridges in Taranaki

Category:Buildings and structures in New Plymouth

Category:Tourist attractions in Taranaki

Category:Bridges completed in 2010

Category:2010s architecture in New Zealand