Work on the longest bridge in the Tauranga Eastern Link project is almost complete.

NZ Transport Agency reports the final concrete pour took place this week forming the deck of the 150metre long Kaituna River Bridge on the new highway from Domain Road to Paengaroa.

The Kaituna River Bridge is almost complete.

NZTA's Bay of Plenty state highways manager Brett Gliddon says the bridge which crosses over the Kaituna River at the newly aligned Bell Road will consists of two lanes in either direction with access available for pedestrians and cyclists.

Construction on the bridge commenced in January 2012 and is expected to be completed next month.

'The first deck was poured in mid-February since then 750 cubic metres of concrete has been poured to complete the bridge's deck. The remainder of the work will be completed in June.”

When the bridge is complete the specifications of it will include 2500 cubic metres of poured concrete, 19,000 nuts and bolts, 1000 tonnes of structural steel, 68 piles and consists of three piers.

The Kaituna River bridge will be open to traffic when the Tauranga Eastern Link project is completed in 2016.

The Tauranga Eastern Link is a Road of National Significance and has been progressing well since construction started in 2010.

If you want to see the construction of the Kaituna River Bridge as captured by a time-lapse camera go to www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/tel/video.html#timelapse.

A public open day is planned for later on the year a walk across the Kaituna River Bridge is one of the activities planned for the event.

Brett says work is already underway on the other six bridges.

'Work has started on the other six bridges, three of them will be completed by the end of 2013 - they are the Kaituna River bridge, Maketu Road bridge and the rail bridge at Paengaroa”.