After months of digging, road closures and disruption, Bridge St is finally beginning to show its new face.
The opening of Whakatū Lane last week has given Nelsonians their first glimpse of the upgraded street, with wider footpaths and fresh paving starting to transform the city centre.
Beneath the surface, a huge amount of work has already been completed, with 4,959m of the project’s 6,223m of pipe installed, alongside 500m of 11kV cable. Crews have also completed 200m of brick barrel lining and commissioned the East Block watermain.
A total of 235 Isaac Construction staff have been inducted onto the project, highlighting the scale of the work under way as part of Nelson’s $78 million Bridge to Better project.
The upgrades are designed to support future growth, enabling more than 260 planned apartments in the Nelson CBD. The project is backed by $36.3 million from the Government’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund and a further $32 million from Nelson City Council.
Above ground, historic kerbstones from the Boulder Bank have been reinstated, while the first of 15 aramoana paving areas has been laid at the Rutherford St end of the project. Aramoana means “pathway to the sea”, with the designs reflecting Nelson’s connection to the coast.
Bridge to Better community engagement manager Paul Shattock says the newly-opened section gives people a taste of what is to come.
“Nice, wide-open footpaths … you’ve got space for people to use the area, which is really exciting.”
The street will become greener next year, with 27 nīkau palms and more than 120 native plants planned for the first stage of planting in July. Developed alongside iwi, the planting will reflect Nelson’s coastal and forest environments.
Deputy Mayor Pete Rainey, who chairs the City Revitalisation Taskforce, says removing some established trees has been difficult, but he is looking forward to seeing the new planting take shape.
Construction has caused considerable disruption for businesses, and Paul is encouraging people to continue supporting them.
“Bridge Street is open. The businesses are open.”
The Trafalgar St intersection is due to open on 28 November in time for the Nelson Santa Parade and The Spectacle, and all of Bridge St West is targeted to open by 11 December before the seasonal construction shutdown.
Work will then continue on Bridge St East, which is expected to open in August 2027.
To keep up with the project, go to shape.nelson.govt.nz/bridge-better
