The first steel section for the Kaituna River Bridge was successfully placed this week, marking a milestone for the NZ Transport Agency's Tauranga Eastern Link project.

The Kaituna River Bridge is a four span bridge crossing over a realigned Bell Road and Kaituna River.

Beginning to bridge the gap.

Stretching 150 metres it will be the longest of the seven bridges being built for the $455 million TEL project four-laning from Te Maunga near Baypark Stadium to Paengaroa.

The four lane bridge will carry two lanes of traffic in each direction, separated by a median wire rope barrier. A three metre wide pedestrian/cycleway will constructed on the eastern side of the bridge.

More than 270 steel sections will be lifted into place during the coming weeks.

A total of 68 piles driven to depths of 55 metres were required to construct the two bridge abutments and three piers that will support the bridge beams.

'Two of the piers are located on either side of the river channel which enables the bridge to extend out over the two stop banks,” says NZTA Bay of Plenty state highways manager, Brett Gliddon.

Placing the steel bridge beams is expected to be completed by early 2013.

When it opens to traffic in 2016, the four-lane Tauranga Eastern Link will run from Mount Maunganui near Baypark to the existing junction of State Highways 2 and 33 near Paengaroa. It will be made up of 17km of new road and an upgrade of six kilometres of existing highway.

The Tauranga Eastern Link is one of seven ‘Roads of National Significance' identified by Government as essential state highway projects linked to New Zealand's economic prosperity.