Moteo Puketapu Bridge

The Moteo–Puketapu Bridge project supports Hawke’s Bay’s recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle by restoring a critical river crossing that reconnects isolated communities. WSP provided assessment, design and delivery support to develop a resilient, future‑ready bridge solution that improves safety, restores reliable access and strengthens the region’s infrastructure against future extreme weather events.

Reconnecting community, culture and resilience after Cyclone Gabrielle

When Cyclone Gabrielle struck Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke’s Bay in February 2023, the impacts were immediate and devastating. Record rainfall meant that fourteen bridges were destroyed across Hastings District, including the 1963 Puketapu Bridge.

Reinstating this connection was an urgent priority. The Moteo–Puketapu Bridge Replacement Project was initiated to restore the vital transport link, as well as improve long term resilience, safety, cultural expression and environmental outcomes.

WSP planners played a central leadership role in the planning components of the project, from early feasibility and site investigations through to consenting, engagement and construction oversight

Location

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Project Status

Complete

img_Puketapu School - Kids at the Bridge

Accelerated recovery in a complex environment

Infrastructure projects of this scale typically take five to seven years to progress from concept to opening. This case demanded a very different approach.

Through early strategic planning, close collaboration with stakeholders, and tightly integrated technical assessments, the project moved from emergency inspection to construction within months. The bridge officially opened two years after the original structure was lost.

WSP led a flexible consenting strategy that became a cornerstone of the project’s success. Rather than seeking approval for a single construction method through the complex earthworks and river system, the consent application provided for multiple options – including alternative piling techniques, temporary causeways and in‑river work sequences. This flexibility allowed contractors to adapt safely to changing river conditions without the need for repeated consent variations.

The consent application was supported by hydrology, ecology, geomorphology, archaeology and cultural assessments, and technical assessments were shared early with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. The result was a non‑notified consent, granted without opposition or hearings, despite the scale and sensitivity of the works.

Cultural partnership embedded in delivery

Cultural partnership was embedded throughout planning and construction. The bridge has been renamed the Moteo–Puketapu Bridge, acknowledging a relationship between communities that dates from 1906, when children from Moteo crossed the river to attend school in Puketapu. The bridge replacement includes a viewing platform, space for a pou whenua, cultural monitoring protocols, and riparian restoration guided by mātauranga Māori.

Ngāti Hinepare, Ngāti Maahu, Ngāi Tāwhao, and Mana Ahuriri Trust worked alongside the project team as kaitiaki, contributing to design, construction, environmental decision‑making, and cultural monitoring

Moteo-Puketapu Bridge Recovery

Environmental care and adaptive management

Protecting the health of the Tūtaekurī River was a key project driver and construction proceeded under tightly managed conditions. Staged earthworks, stabilised construction causeway and rapid revegetation were used to minimise sediment generation, while spill controls and activity separation reduced contamination risk. Innovative tools, including eDNA assessment, were used alongside mātauranga Māori to guide adaptive management.

For example, during construction a significant eel habitat was identified within the works area. The design and construction methodology were adapted to avoid disturbance, and a protected habitat was established to ensure this taonga species could continue to thrive.

A model for future recovery and resilience

The Moteo–Puketapu Bridge Replacement Project demonstrates how planning‑led infrastructure delivery can achieve far more than reinstatement. By combining flexible consenting, genuine cultural partnership, and environmentally responsive design, the project reframed disaster recovery as an opportunity for long‑term improvement.