Bridge Street – 7 weeks till West OPENS

It is officially less than 8 weeks till Bridge Street WEST opens!

What is happening over the next 7 weeks?

WEST:
Kerb and Channel, prep and pours
Footpath prep
Footpath concrete
Footpath asphalt
Street furniture install
Street signs install
Vapor blasting
Kohatu boulder install
Carriageway Prep
Carriageway membrane
Carriageway asphalt
Road Marking

EAST
Wastewater
Watermain
Stormwater
Shared trenching
Temporary reinstatement

The following are key times for the Bridge to Better project.

Bridge Street West – roadway and footpaths. This will be complete and open on 11 December 2026

Trafalgar Street Intersection – roadway. This will be complete and open on 28 November 2026

Trafalgar Street Intersection – footpaths. The work at the Trafalgar Street and Bridge Street intersection is complex, and the steps must happen in a set order. The pipe, road and electrical work all depend on each other. That means Isaac’s can’t finish everything in the footpath before the brownout starts on 11 December.

Before the brownout starts a temporary asphalt surface will be laid so people can walk through this area safely.

In the new year, the following work will occur:

• Removing the old underground transformer and its chambers.
• The final electrical connections.
• Final footpaths and garden beds on the corners of the intersection.

Bridge Street East – roadway and footpaths. This part of the project will not be complete. The footpaths will be widened and usable, and crossing points will be installed to enable easy access across the street. We will be looking to create a larger pedestrian area around the Kirby Lane area, so that more people can spend time in this area.

Over summer, we’re planning to:

• Make the street easier to walk. More space for people on foot, and a more comfortable place to spend time.
• Improve crossing points. Safer, easier places to get across the road.
• Create spaces for people to use. Seating that give people a reason to stay.
• Bridge Street ambassadors: We’ve investigated Nelson CBD spending habits over the next few months. To ensure people can find their way around we will have ambassadors on the street during high foot traffic times:

– Black Friday weekend
– The Spectacle weekend
– Two weekends before Christmas

We have received feedback from some businesses who expected Bridge Street East to be open. We apologise for any confusion here. There was an error with the dates on the road closure letter and this has now been corrected. The timeline on Shape.Nelson.govt.nz/bridge-better remains up-to-date.

A new Bridge Street is coming!
Telling the story
Next week, Ged from Isaac’s and Emma from Nelson City Council will be visiting businesses with posters and table talkers.

These posters are to help tell the story of what Bridge Street will look like. We all know the why. Upgrading our underground infrastucture to increase capacity to allow for inner city expansion.

But what will the end of the project look like? We’re already beginning to see exciting progress in the West end. We hope the artist drawings will help explain the new Bridge Street to your customers and that they can share in our excitement.

We have pre-printed A4 and A3 posters. If you want more posters, or something larger, please reach out to Emma or Ged.