The Auckland Harbour Bridge – A Non-Entry
Before the bridge was built it took, by road, an hour or more
via Auckland West and Albany to reach the Northern Shore.
The only other way, by passenger or vehicle ferry,
for workers going home at end of day was just as weary.
As population swelled and transport problems grew much harder,
in 1955 across the Waitemata Harbour,
construction started on a bridge to join St Mary’s Bay
with Northcote on the North Shore as the Northern Motorway.
It took four years to build a four-lane bridge initially
and another twenty-five years till its use became toll-free.
Meantime the growth in traffic meant four lanes was not enough;
at peak-times the congestion on the bridge was really rough.
In 1969 a two-lane clip-on on each side
was added to provide a traffic-flow of eight lanes wide.
Because a Japanese contractor was engaged (from Nippon),
The former name “Coathanger Bridge” was changed to “Nippon Clip-on”!
The bridge’s total span is 1020 metres long,
the centre span, 244m and arched to keep it strong,
is over forty metres clear above the highest tide
so even largest ships can safely underneath it ride.
A “tidal flow” controls the traffic management and pace
with automatic moving concrete barriers in place.
In mornings, Southbound traffic has five lanes to travel forth,
with five lanes in the afternoons for those who travel North.
An average of 170 thousand vehicles every day
across the bridge from North Shore into Auckland make their way.
As most of these return at night to North Shore from the City,
all those who drive from 4 till 6pm deserve our pity!
Congested Auckland motorways and on the bridge, continue
to cause protracted driver-stress to heart, brain, nerve and sinew.
Hugh Wyles, 15th. August. 2007.
Author notes
Only in Bangkok have I struck worse traffic congestion than in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city.
My daughter, Jacqui, drove taxis in Sydney and trolley buses in Wellington and considered driving in Auckland a worse nightmare than either.
The Auckland Harbour Bridge, like that of Sydney's Harbour is, however, an icon.
In a list
A contest entry
- Only For Members of Hugh Wyles Favourites Group #19 by huguenauties.
750 points, ended August 30, 2007, 12 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 12 of 12
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wow. how pretty. WATER! dont see much of it out this way. being in the middle of the aussie desert in the middle of drought. we have some bridges here in broken hill... well actually just a big one.... actually it is more of an overpass... over a train track. it is niether pretty or overly useful. trains pass through maybe once or twice a day. can you bungee jump off your bridge? you can bungee jump off the harbour bridge but it is way to tall. i scared of it!
sorry bout the babblin lol
great entry
Til
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Hi Dear,
What a beautiful bridge, almost like our Sydney Harbour Bridge only not as big. I like the name Nippon clip-on and as the Sydney Harbour Bridge is known as "The Coathanger Bridge" well, there can only be one.
One day I really hope I can come to New Zealand and see your beautiful Godzone Country. And meet you and Edna and see the Ducks and Ducklings you and Joan talk about. A great poem my dear that you have written.
Love Jen.
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Dearest Uncle Hugh
Thank you for educating me on this beautiful bridge. I was enthralled, reading your poem, and the rhyming is beautiful, as usual. Shame it is a non-entry, it would be a winner.
Hugs and love,
Your loving niece,
Petra xo
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Dear Hugh
Great description of the bridge - have only been to Auckland twice, once as a child long before the bridge, the second time the bridge was there but I preferred to go by ferry.
Love & HUgs XXX
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That is a beautiful bridge. There are many wonderful structures like that in our world...all a work of art. Oh, the poem is beautiful too...
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Dear Babe,
Heath has yet to take me to the North Island to see the sights, and when he does I'll make sure he takes me across the bridge.
I enjoyed reading about it my dear friend.
Thankyou for showing others what a beautiful country we have.
Love Hine.
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When I think of New Zealand I don't think of congestion. Not sure what I do think of, sheep and kiwis I guess. I live in a small town and we barely have what qualifies as bridges. I went over the Golden Gate a few times in San Fran but that went smoothy. I wouldn't want to be stuck on a bridge, things like that make me nervous. Too much air in between me and the water.
Hey, I recently found Vintinners in New Zealand. They arrived on a ship called the Sussex from London in 1874. I thought that was cool.
Mariza's comment is very succinct.
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Well worth the read
Dear Hugh,
The Aukland Harbour Bridge sounds like our Sydney Harbour Bridge as far as the congestion goes, they've widened it as much as they can and have since made a Harbour tunnel that goes uder the sea, My brother John took me through it and I wasn't a bit scared knowing that all that water was above us.
I enjoyed reading about the Bridge very much.
Love Bea
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Amazing!!
Part of the reason I am amazed by your fine write is that all those cars got to New Zealand in the first place!
A friend of my recently sold a car to someone in New Zealand and shipped it to him from San Francisco! Cars must be very expensive where you live! 
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Dear Melodies,
New cars are quite expensive here but secondhand imports are, by contrast, quite cheap. A Toyota Corolla, for example, with only 5,000K on the clock, sells as a new import for less than $NZ.7,000!
When you come here, I'll take you for a ride in mine!!
Love and hugs, XXX Hugh. -
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Dear Uncle Hugh,
Can I come for a ride too? LOL!
Love Petra xo
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