New Hooker Valley suspension bridge at Aoraki/Mount Cook to open next week
A new 189-meter suspension bridge in New Zealand's Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park is set to open following a challenging construction period. The project is expected to boost local tourism revenue significantly over the next decade.
Why it matters
Infrastructure projects in remote, extreme environments demonstrate engineering resilience and serve as vital economic drivers for regional tourism.
The new suspension bridge up the Hooker Valley at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park will open to the public next Tuesday. Photo / Department of Conservation
The new Hooker Valley suspension bridge at Mt Cook will open next week, despite workers facing gales and snowfall during construction.
Hundreds of thousands of people tramp up along the popular Hooker Valley Track each year.
But it has been partly closed since April last year when riverbank erosion forced the old bridge over the Hooker River to close.
The Department of Conservation said that at 189m, the new one was the longest suspension bridge in the country.
Workers faced 180km/h winds and multiple unseasonal snowfalls to build the new bridge.
Aoraki/Mt Cook district operations manager Sally Jones said it was a significant milestone and a testament to the dedication, skill and commitment of everyone involved.
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