Hamilton's Fairfield Bridge

Fairfield Bridge is one of Hamilton's six bridges & spans from Victoria St, on west side, to River Rd, on east bank

It cost £26,000 (contributed by Hamilton Borough Council, Waipa County Council & Public Works Department)

The ferro-cement bowstring arch design is by Stanley Jones of Jones and Adams (consulting engineers based in Auckland)

The Bridge is 139 m long & 6.1 m wide; & the arches are 70 cms wide, 40 m long & 7.9 m high

Art Deco lamp standards are sited near each arch

The footpaths on both sides of the Bridge are 1.5 m wide.

The Fairfield Bridge also aided access by those living in the adjacent farming areas of Waipā and Waikato Counties

Looking from the front of a Kotahi Avenue house to River Road across the river where the Fairfield Bridge would be built

Construction started on 6 Aug 1934 by the Roose Shipping Co. construction crew

Pile driving in progress on the bank of the Waikato River, October 1934

The ferro-cement bowstring tied-arch design is by Stanley Jones of Jones and Adams, Auckland-based consulting engineers

During the building of the foundations, an excavator uncovered a burial cave in the bank of the Waikato River

Ngāti Te Ao occupied Whatanoa Pā, sited near the Waikato Stadium, and Waitawhiriwhiri Pā above Fairfield Bridge

Following an attack by Ngāti Wairere, Chief Taiko was killed. His preserved tattooed head was amongst those found.

The arches and spans are made from reinforced concrete. The balustrades are pierced in a geometric pattern.

The length of 139 m was considered the longest in NZ at the time for this form of concrete structure

View from the western bank (near Victoria St) to the housing on the eastern bank of the Waikato River

Holiday group on the bank of the Waikato River near Fairfield Bridge, 1942

Vehicles & sheep with herders on horseback & a gig

Sheep would be driven over the Fairfield Bridge to the Frankton saleyards

Cyclists during the Auckland - Morrinsville 100 mile professional road race on 16 Oct 1937

Vehicles crossing the Fairfield Bridge, 1947

During annual 'Round the Bridges' 12 km 'Fun' race, runners & walkers cross over the Fairfield and Cobham bridges, 1947

Vehicles approaching Fairfield Bridge from Victoria Street, 1968

Fairfield Bridge astern of PS Rawhiti II which was built by Roose Shipping Company in Nov 1925 & scrapped in 1948

Trout caught at Fairfield Bridge, 1951

Scenic craft like MV Waipa Delta paddle-steamer, which was built in 1985 & cruised Waikato River for nearly 25 years

In 1980, 'concrete cancer' was discovered & a concrete recoating project took place in 1991 for $1.1m

A reaction in the concrete between alkaline cement paste & silica had caused swelling which led to cracking

In 1994, the undercarriage was repaired (see image), & the Bridge closed for 3 weeks for maintenance in Jan 2011

In recognition of the maintenance initiatives, it received the Enduring Concrete Award in 2012 by NZ Concrete Society

In 2024, the Bridge was temporarily closed when a police car hit the Bridge's metal barrier & concrete side-wall