Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
People can now see the beginnings of a 1.1km cableway at the former rest area at the top of Mt Messenger, a significant milestone for the Te Ara o Te Ata: Mt Messenger Bypass project.
“The Mt Messenger Alliance team are excited to reach this point in the project with two of the four 28-metre legs for the cableway structure going up yesterday.
“When it’s ready for use, the cableway will transport our workers, machinery and equipment safely into the heart of the project area,” says Waka Kotahi Principal Project Manager Chris Nally.
The remaining two tower legs will be erected soon, before cable is run between the tower and anchor points to the north and south. The Mt Messenger Alliance aims to bring the cableway into operation in the first quarter of next year.
This innovative structure is a key part of the wider project to create a safer and more reliable 6km section of State Highway 3 in North Taranaki, while delivering significant long-term environmental gains including pest management over 3,650ha of adjacent ngahere (forest).
Video footage of the raising of one of the 28-metre cable legs
Te Ara o Te Ata: Mt Messenger Bypass project overview