Tauranga Harbour Bridge facts for kids

The Tauranga Harbour Bridge is actually two bridges that help cars cross the Tauranga Harbour in New Zealand. These bridges are part of a special road called an expressway. This road connects the city of Tauranga to Mount Maunganui. On the Tauranga side, the road links up with Takitimu Drive. On the Mount Maunganui side, it connects to Hewletts Road.

Building the Tauranga Harbour Bridge

Plaques at the Tauranga Harbour Bridge

The first Tauranga Harbour Bridge opened on March 13, 1988. A person called Robert Arthur Owens, who used to be the Mayor of Tauranga, officially opened it. Before this bridge was built, cars had to use other bridges. These were the Hairini and Maungatapu bridges.

Paying to Cross the Bridge

When the bridge first opened, you had to pay a fee to cross it. This is called a toll. The toll system was in place until July 22, 2001. There were special booths on the Mount Maunganui side where you paid.

Why a Second Bridge Was Needed

As more people moved to Tauranga, the city grew bigger. More cars used the bridge, especially during busy times. This caused a lot of traffic jams. To fix this, a big plan called the Harbour Link project started. This project built a new bridge right next to the old one. The new bridge opened on September 7, 2009. Now, the original bridge carries cars going towards Tauranga. The newer bridge carries cars going towards Mount Maunganui.

The Causeway and Aerodrome Bridge

On the Mount Maunganui side of the bridge, there is a raised road called a causeway. This causeway also has the Tauranga Bridge Marina, where boats are kept. At the end of the causeway, there are two more bridges. These are called the Aerodrome Bridge. They cross a small water channel. Until 2009, there was only one Aerodrome Bridge. The road on the causeway was also narrower. As part of the Harbour Link project, the road was made wider. A second Aerodrome Bridge was also built.