Wynyard Quarter Bridge reopens: Businesses hope key pedestrian link will bring back customers

The bridge, built at a cost of $3.7 million and opened in 2011, was constructed to raise and lower its span to allow boats to pass below.

Repairing the bridge cost at least $10.6 million, according to an update from Eke Panuku, the development arm of Auckland Council, in October.

Eke Panuku said the bridge was expected to open at 7:30am today. THE Herald saw the bridge open at 7:09 a.m.

Speaking about the disruption caused by the bridge failure last year, general manager of the Park Hyatt at Viaduct Harbor, Brett Sweetman, told the Herald: “It’s embarrassing for everyone.”

Sweetman: “It has an impact on our colleagues who come to work and they receive complaints from our customers because they cannot easily access Quay St and Commercial Bay.

“It is the main artery from the CBD to the Wynyard area and it is out of service. Especially at this time of year, it’s tourist season. We had cruise ships last week, and all the businesses here are affected because of (the fault),” Sweetman said.

“The major impact for international guests here who want to take a ferry to Waiheke, normally they just walk across the bridge, 10 minutes walk and they arrive at the ferry terminal. But now they are asked to go around the marina. It’s terribly embarrassing.

“It’s not really the best way to showcase the city when there are (major) events,” he said.

Restauranteur Alex Pearson, general manager of Wynyard Pavilion, told Newstalk ZB there was a busy summer events program in the area.

Pearson said: “We’ve got SailGP here in January, we’ve got Six60 coming up, the Auckland Boat Show – so there’s a lot going on in the Wynyard area this summer.

“It’s just crucial that this (bridge) works.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based journalist covering current affairs. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.

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