Forgotten World Highway gets new bridge

A new bridge has been completed on the Forgotten World Highway helping to improve the resilience of the route between the King Country and Taranaki.

The $3.6 million Kururau Bridge was located between Taumarunui and Whangamōmona and built as part of the New Zealand Transport Agency's (NZTA) priority bridge replacement programme.

State Highway 42 was considered one of New Zealand's iconic back country journeys, as well as being a regionally important corridor linking Taumarunui and Stratford and vital to local communities and tourism operators .

The previous Kururau Stream Water Drive structure, located near Aukopae, was a hand-dug culvert tunnelled through soft, sedimentary rock.

At about 80 years old, it was an example of early local engineering.

NZTA project manager Kendra Ludeke said the existing structure had naturally eroded over time and a modern bridge replacement was needed.

"The new bridge is designed to last 100 years and provides a more resilient solution, helping locals and visitors to travel this iconic Forgotten World Highway for years to come."

The previous water drive structure had been left in place as part of the landscape, as the new bridge bypassed it with an improved road alignment.

"It's been exciting to see this new bridge take shape, in addition to two new culverts on State Highway 3 in northern Taranaki being completed in May.

"They're all part of the national priority bridge replacement programme and ultimately lead to more efficient, more reliable travel for people."

About the national priority bridge replacement programme

Work to repair or upgrade nine priority bridges and culverts was given the green light in July 2024 as part of the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

Kururau Stream Water Drive was the first bridge replacement project in this NLTP to begin construction.

Since then, a further five priority locations have been added, and NZTA is progressing design, consenting, and contracting so work can start.