Opiki Suspension Bridge

The Tane Swing Bridge, as it was known in its early years, was 477 feet (154.39m) long. It was suspended between two reinforced concrete towers that were 48 feet (14.6m) high above ground, and set about 10 feet into the ground. The bridge was 11 feet wide with a 9 foot carriageway. The towers held 16 cables resting upon rollers that topped each tower. These cables were obtained from the Waihi gold mines and had been tested to hold a weight of about 50 tons. They were attached to long, bronzed-steel rods that were anchored into 25 cubic yards of concrete buried 17 feet into the ground.

See web link below to a site that gives a detailed history of the bridge.

A St Peter's College student in Palmerston North has created this website that contains a brief history of the Opiki suspension bridge, from the draining of the Makurerua Swamp, through the swamp's flax industry, the construction of the bridge, its conversion to a toll bridge, to the closing of the old toll bridge, and the opening of the new bridge at Opiki. Living Heritage is a project that encourages schools to create a website that shares and preserves the stories of their community, whanau, and friends. The projects then become part of the National Library's database of online heritage resources.

Related Items

• Opiki Suspendion Bridge - web link </ li>
• Old Opiki toll bridge & flood, 1971 </ li>
• Northern Approach to the Opiki Toll Bridge </ li>
• Opening of Rangitane Suspension Bridge, Jan. 1918 </ li>
• Construction of suspension bridge, Opiki 1917 </ li>
• Group at the opening of the Opiki suspension bridge 1918 </ li>
• 1969 Opiki Toll Bridge - children </ li>
• Opiki Bridge - new 1969-70 - Truck tipped over 1 </ li>
• Opiki Bridge - new 1969-70 - Truck tipped over 2 </ li>
• Opiki Bridge - new 1969-70 - Truck tipped over 3 </ li>
• Opiki Bridge - new 1969-70 - Truck tipped over crane righting it </ li>
• Opiki Bridge construction 1969 - 1 </ li>
• Opiki Bridge construction 1969 - 2 </ li>
• Opiki Bridge construction 1969 - 3 </ li>
• Opiki Bridge construction 1969 - 4 </ li>
• Opiki Bridge construction 1969 - 5 </ li>