This 27-kilometre monument to Kiwi ingenuity would show the world that we’re serious about infrastructure – and provide a handy escape hatch for those fleeing Wellington.
As New Zealand’s first Bridge of National Significance, the Cook Strait Bridge would boast a four-lane, grade separated highway, clip-on light rail and a dedicated walking and cycling pathway. Discussions are already under way to turn it into one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.
Supported by hundreds of structures plunging over 200 meters into the deep blue sea, the project would not only bridge physical gaps but also serve as a symbolic leap into the future – where even traffic jams might feel like a scenic drive through Middle-earth.
By investing $25 billion in just one bridge, we can help close New Zealand’s $210 billion infrastructure deficit. And just imagine if we were able to repeat this ten times. Our so-called deficit would be goneburger!
Now, you might be tempted to raise concerns about trivial matters like cost and feasibility. However, let me remind you – we are a nation of builders, where the spirit of can-do economics reigns supreme. Just look at our recent track record of completing megaprojects on time and under budget.
In any case, the funding and financing of the Cook Strait Bridge basically takes care of itself. We’d obviously turn this bad boy into a public-private partnership, slap on a $2 toll and ram it through the new fast-track legislation. Plus, if we borrow from the playbook of the last iteration of the Roads of National Significance, we could recover costs by neglecting routine maintenance elsewhere.
And then there are the tourism opportunities. Frankly, I’ve become a little tired of New Zealand’s 100% Pure sales pitch. But 100% Progress? Now that has a nice ring to it. I can already picture international tourists flocking to see steel and concrete soaring above the waves.
It would be more than just a structural marvel. Travellers would be greeted by traditional carvings and Kiwiana in a celebration of New Zealand's rich cultural heritage.
The time has come for New Zealand to embrace the Cook Strait Bridge – because who needs a ferry when you can build a bridge to the future.
Matthew is a Research Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, focusing on infrastructure and the housing market. This article was first published HERE
Supported by hundreds of structures plunging over 200 meters into the deep blue sea, the project would not only bridge physical gaps but also serve as a symbolic leap into the future – where even traffic jams might feel like a scenic drive through Middle-earth.
By investing $25 billion in just one bridge, we can help close New Zealand’s $210 billion infrastructure deficit. And just imagine if we were able to repeat this ten times. Our so-called deficit would be goneburger!
Now, you might be tempted to raise concerns about trivial matters like cost and feasibility. However, let me remind you – we are a nation of builders, where the spirit of can-do economics reigns supreme. Just look at our recent track record of completing megaprojects on time and under budget.
In any case, the funding and financing of the Cook Strait Bridge basically takes care of itself. We’d obviously turn this bad boy into a public-private partnership, slap on a $2 toll and ram it through the new fast-track legislation. Plus, if we borrow from the playbook of the last iteration of the Roads of National Significance, we could recover costs by neglecting routine maintenance elsewhere.
And then there are the tourism opportunities. Frankly, I’ve become a little tired of New Zealand’s 100% Pure sales pitch. But 100% Progress? Now that has a nice ring to it. I can already picture international tourists flocking to see steel and concrete soaring above the waves.
It would be more than just a structural marvel. Travellers would be greeted by traditional carvings and Kiwiana in a celebration of New Zealand's rich cultural heritage.
The time has come for New Zealand to embrace the Cook Strait Bridge – because who needs a ferry when you can build a bridge to the future.
Matthew is a Research Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, focusing on infrastructure and the housing market. This article was first published HERE
7 comments:
Dreams are free! Your pricing is out by s factor of 10…such a bridge could not be built for less than $250bn, if at all. The technical challenges would be enormous.
Look online at the Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai Bridge with a long tunnel and a man made island, an incredible feat of engineering. I was living in China during the construction of it and it took only 10 years from start to finish, in NZ the paperwork would still be in the bureaucrats hands. Kiwialan.
And how much would that eventually cost - $25B going on $50B going on $100B.
Can you imagine the consultancy fees?
And how many days would it be uncrossable due to bad weather or high winds?
It's life-span may also be rather short considering the trying weather conditions and big seas around Cook Strait.
Still, as long as they take all this into account when they do the COST:BENEFIT ANALYSIS, I guess it will add up or not.
Hmmm - but a tunnel would be good. What about a tunnel? The Channel Tunnel has been such a boon.
last i heard, wellington was building a 4.5km cycle track for 300M - that's around 65M$/km. this number is 50x the upper bound of most cycle track costs across the world (even seattle's track at 20M$/km was considered extreme - even by the liberals)!
if you use that 'NZ surcharge' on this bridge construction, the only way to fund it would be sell one of the islands to china - and i mean doing it officially :) maybe they'll build it as a bonus!
A bridge across a fault line - yeah, right.
Get some engineers to comment.
A satirical masterpiece
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