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Auckland Harbour Bridge
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<p>The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane motorway bridge over <a href="/facts/Waitemat%25C4%2581_Harbour/VB4lPugq">Waitematā Harbour</a> in <a href="/facts/Auckland/wRcayHa2">Auckland</a>, New Zealand. It joins <a href="/facts/Saint_Marys_Bay%2c_New_Zealand/1LwQXekG">St Marys Bay</a> on the Auckland city side with <a href="/facts/Northcote%2c_Auckland/1JsQMa5m">Northcote</a> on the <a href="/facts/North_Shore%2c_New_Zealand/yK2EEx1g">North Shore</a> side. It is part of <a href="/facts/State_Highway_1_(New_Zealand)/c6DFedfK">State Highway 1</a> and the <a href="/facts/Auckland_Northern_Motorway/usVeab11">Auckland Northern Motorway</a>. The bridge is operated by the <a href="/facts/NZ_Transport_Agency_Waka_Kotahi/WL29MYAY">NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi</a> (NZTA). It is the second-longest road bridge in New Zealand, and the longest in the <a href="/facts/North_Island/RUGtJJev">North Island</a>. </p><p>The original inner four lanes, opened in 1959, are of <a href="/facts/Truss/bJXJyUtz">box truss</a> construction. Two lanes were added to each side in 1968–1969 and are of <a href="/facts/Orthotropic_deck/UgAKY5uD">orthotropic box structure</a> construction extend as cantilevers from the original <a href="/facts/Pier_(architecture)/r75BDQB0">piers</a>. The bridge is 1,020 m (3,348 ft) long, with a main span of 243.8 metres (800 feet) rising 43.27 metres (142 feet) above high water, allowing ships access to the deepwater wharf at the <a href="/facts/Chelsea_Sugar_Refinery/zqLtJlxW">Chelsea Sugar Refinery</a>, one of the few such wharves west of the bridge. </p><p>While often considered an Auckland icon, many see the construction of the bridge without walking, cycling, or rail facilities as an oversight. In 2016, an add-on structure providing a walk-and-cycleway called SkyPath received Council funding approval and planning consent, but was not built. In 2021, a stand-alone walking and cycling bridge called the Northern Pathway was announced by the New Zealand Government, but also was not built. </p><p>About 170,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day (as of 2019), including over 1,000 buses, which carry 38% of all people crossing during the morning peak. </p>