Bailey bridges

Downer has significant experience in Bailey bridges, including configuration, selection, launching and lifting methodologies.

Bailey bridges are vital resources in emergencies like severe flooding as they ‘kit set’ – temporary bridges that can be quickly transported and installed across the country to reconnect communities. They are also used as temporary structures for planned events such as roading projects. Downer manages and installs New Zealand’s Bailey bridge stock for Waka Kotahi.

Our expertise in Bailey bridges was invaluable in response to Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, which destroyed many critical bridges including the one spanning the Waikare Gorge, severing the connection between Wairoa and Napier. To restore connection, Downer quickly installed a temporary Bailey Bridge, while commencing the longer-term disaster recovery works. The Hikuwai No.1 Bridge was also destroyed along with significant damage to State Highway 35 (SH35), cutting off the communities in Tokomaru Bay and further north. Downer’s installation of an 85-meter Bailey Bridge to reconnect these communities was the longest in the country.