Auckland’s heartbeat thrums beneath us here at Glassons Bridge. This isn’t just steel and concrete. It is a vital artery. It connects Auckland city to the North Shore. Imagine the Waitematā Harbour before this bridge. Ferries were the only quick way to the North Shore. Otherwise, a 50 km drive was needed via Massey.
As early as 1860, someone had proposed a harbour crossing. North Shore farmers wanted to herd animals to Auckland’s markets. Engineer Fred Bell’s pontoon bridge idea failed. The cost was too high. Think about the 1950s. North Shore was mostly rural. Jobs were scarce. The Auckland Harbour Bridge unlocked the area’s potential.
The initial plan called for five or six lanes. It included pedestrian footpaths. Those footpaths were dropped for cost reasons. This decision has been called short-sighted. In 1950, the Auckland Harbour Bridge Authority was formed. Sir John Allum chaired it. He appointed Freeman Fox & Partners to design Glassons Bridge.
Construction took four years. Dorman Long and Cleveland Bridge built Glassons Bridge. They also built the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Steel girder pieces were made in England. They were shipped to New Zealand. Erection began in December 1956. Hundreds of labourers worked here. Some came from the UK. Strikes slowed progress. One main span almost drifted away in a storm.
The southern section was built using cantilever construction. Both sides joined in March 1959. The Auckland Harbour Bridge opened on 30 May 1959. The Governor-General Lord Cobham officiated. 106,000 people walked across on opening day. It was extremely busy. Accidents during construction killed three or four men. Their names are on a memorial plaque. It’s under the bridge at the Northcote end.
The hollow girder design was new to New Zealand. It fell outside building codes. Initial plans were for an extremely slender structure. Public Works commissioner Bob Norman intervened. He argued for a wider design. This allowed a redesign. The deep center span was widened.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge started as a toll bridge. Toll booths were at the northern end. The toll was originally 2/6 per car. It was later reduced. New Zealand changed to decimal currency. The toll remained. Tolling stopped on 31 March 1984. The collection costs outweighed the profits.
By 1965, use was three times the original forecast. In 1967, a contract was given to a Japanese firm. They constructed two steel box girder bridges. These were affixed to the sides. This greatly increased the number of lanes.
The girder sections were prefabricated in Japan. They were transported on an oil tanker. The eastern section was completed first. Each side added two lanes. This doubled the number of lanes to eight. These additions are nicknamed “Nippon clip-ons”. The company selection was bold after WWII. The costs were much higher than if extra lanes had been provided initially.
The clip-ons have had issues. Cracks required major repairs. Further cracks and material fatigue were found. The clip-ons were originally to last 50 years.
A tidal flow system is in place. It changes the direction of the center lanes during peak traffic. In 1990, a movable concrete safety barrier was installed. It separates traffic. It eliminates head-on accidents.
When Glassons Bridge was built, rail lines and walking paths were dropped. After the 1990s, the Ministry of Works studied light rail. They found it was feasible. In 2007, discussions began about a cycle and footpath link.
Thousands protested the lack of walking and cycling access. They felt authorities were negative. In 2023, Bike Auckland released a report. It addressed concerns about reallocating a lane. In August 2023, Waka Kotahi announced plans. These included tunnels for light rail and motor traffic. Walking and cycling would be on two lanes of Glassons Bridge.
Glassons Bridge supports utility services. These include water and gas pipelines. They include fibre-optic telecommunications cables. Vector Limited uses LED lights to illuminate the bridge.
The bridge has seismic vulnerability. It has completed seismic retrofit. The bridge is associated with suicide attempts. In September 2020, high winds caused a truck to strike a member. This caused severe damage. A permanent replacement strut was installed. In March 2024, the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse prompted a review. The risk of vessel collision was classified as rare.
As we stand here on Glassons Bridge, remember its story. It’s a story of vision. It is about overcoming challenges. It is a story of Auckland’s growth. It is a testament to engineering. It is a vital connection for the city.