Finishing touches and final checks are being made this week on a new footbridge described as “a significant milestone for Aoraki”. The new suspension bridge, in the Hooker Valley at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, will open to the public next week. The new bridge spans 189m across the Hooker River. Aoraki/Mount Cook district operations manager Sally Jones said it was the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand and an impressive feat of engineering and construction. The opening of the new bridge was a special moment, she said. “The completion of this project is a significant milestone for Aoraki and a testament to the dedication, skill and commitment of everyone who has helped make this happen.” The $4.85 million bridge replaces a much smaller one that closed last April after rainfall and storms caused riverbank erosion. Construction of the new bridge began in August and since then nature had thrown everything at the building team, Ms Jones said. Working in a sub-alpine environment, the Abseil Access team and contractors battled 180km winds and unseasonal snowfalls. “Building something of this scale in such extreme conditions is no small achievement, and I am incredibly proud of what our contractors, partners and staff have achieved together,” Ms Jones said. The engineer and architect, Dan Crocker of DC Structures Studio, said seeing the bridge finally open was exhilarating. “It’s not just the longest suspension bridge in New Zealand; it’s the longest single-span footbridge of any kind in the country. Getting the opportunity to design a bridge like this in one of our most iconic locations was an amazing experience. I can’t wait to see people crossing it,” he said. The track up the Hooker Valley is the one of the most popular day hikes in the country attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. It’s estimated the new bridge will bring around $167m in revenue to the Mackenzie District over the next ten years. The bridge will be open to the public from 3pm on Tuesday after a private event and blessing by mana whenua.
