Auckland Harbour Bridge

Auckland's bridge is the city's defining piece of engineering and, up close, an unsentimental one. It opened in 1959 with four lanes and was overloaded almost immediately, so at the end of the 1960s two further lane sections, fabricated in Japan and floated out, were attached along each side. Aucklanders have called them the clip-ons ever since, and the join is visible from underneath. There is no footpath and no cycleway, which means that for anyone not in a vehicle the bridge is something to look at rather than cross. A guided climb runs along the arch and a bungy platform hangs beneath it, both charged. The reserves at either end sit directly under the steel.

History

Proposals for a harbour crossing go back at least to 1860, when North Shore farmers commissioned a design for a pontoon bridge. Dorman Long, builders of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company were contracted in October 1954, the steel sections were made in England and floated into place, and the four-lane bridge opened in 1959; two lanes were added to each side in 1968-1969 (Wikipedia, Auckland Harbour Bridge).

What's there

• The clip-on lanes - the added outer sections visible as a distinct join from below.
• Stokes Point reserve - the small park directly beneath the northern end of the span.
• Westhaven - the marina foreshore with the classic side-on view across the water.
• The bridge climb - the charged walkway along the top of the arch.

When to go

Late afternoon and dusk give the best light from Westhaven, with the city behind. The bridge is lit after dark. Climbs and jumps run year-round but are weather-dependent and cancel in high wind, so booking a flexible slot helps. Traffic on the bridge itself is heavy at both peaks, which matters if you are driving across for the view rather than for a purpose.

Things to know

You cannot walk or cycle across, which surprises almost every visitor and rules out the obvious way of experiencing it. Driving over gives you a few seconds of view and no chance to stop. The paid climb is not cheap for what is a slow walk on a steel deck. The structure is functional rather than elegant close up, and the reserves underneath are noisy with traffic overhead.

Nearby

Westhaven marina, the Wynyard Quarter and the ferries to Devonport are all on the city side.

Key facts