Bridges, tunnels and trucks feature in Concrete Awards
Bridges, tunnels and trucks featured in the 2025 Concrete Construction Awards presented last week celebrating excellence in concrete design, construction, innovation, rehabilitation, sustainability and research. Around 275 people including architects, concrete designers, engineers and developers from across Aotearoa New Zealand attended the awards held in Auckland.
“The calibre of award entries this year has been outstanding, emphasising concrete’s role in resilient, low-carbon infrastructure, as well as reinforcing concrete’s position as the durable, low-carbon material of choice for modern New Zealand,” Concrete NZ Chief Executive Rod Gaimster said.
Waikato and Bay of Plenty Bridge Strengthening Programme
Winner: Excellence in Concrete Remediation and Reuse
The Region 3 & 4 Bridge Strengthening Programme rehabilitated 14 concrete bridges across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty using Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) technology. This innovative approach extended service life, reduced embodied carbon by up to 99%, preserved heritage structures, and enabled freight efficiency—demonstrating concrete’s adaptability for climate-resilient infrastructure in regional New Zealand.
Project Team: NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Beca and Contech.
SH94 Homer Tunnel Avalanche Shelter
Commendation: Excellence in Concrete Infrastructure
To improve resilience on SH94 Milford Road, NZTA Waka Kotahi commissioned a replacement avalanche shelter at the Homer Tunnel. Constructed in a remote, high-risk alpine environment, the shelter uses robust precast concrete to withstand extreme avalanche, seismic, and rockfall forces, while blending into the Fiordland National Park landscape.
Project Team: NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Downer NZ, WSP NZ and McIntosh Precast.
SH1 Mangatoetoenui Stream Bridge Replacement
Commendation: Excellence in Concrete Remediation and Reuse
During a scheduled closure of Desert Road, the SH1 Mangatoetoenui Stream Bridge underwent a transformative upgrade—replacing its aging timber deck with a precast concrete superstructure. By embracing Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) principles, the team delivered a sustainable, durable solution with minimal disruption, preserving the original substructure and optimising concrete use in one of the country’s most critical transport corridors.
Project Team: Beca, Oxcon CLL, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Eastbridge and Preco Precast Concrete.
Allied Concrete dual-fuel hydrogen trucks
Short-listed entry
Allied launched New Zealand’s first dual-fuel hydrogen concrete trucks – one in Auckland, one in Invercargill – pioneering low-emissions delivery without compromising performance. This practical innovation marks a major step toward decarbonising concrete transport.
