The State Highway 35 Hikuwai Bridge No. 1 replacement project has reached a major milestone with the installation of the final bridge girder (steel beam) last week.

NZTA Waka Kotahi says the Transport Rebuild East Coast team and local contractors have made great progress, and the girder installation marks the transition between work on the bridge substructure (everything below the deck) and the superstructure (everything above).

In total, 20 girder sections were transported to site, assembled into 12 bridge girders, and carefully lifted into place to form the structure for the new bridge deck.

With all girders now in place, roadworkers will begin securing them to the bearings beneath before pre-cast deck panels arrive on site.

The pre-cast deck panels are scheduled to arrive next month after which concrete pours will form the surface of the bridge deck.

The project remains on track for completion by Christmas.

The original No.1 bridge was destroyed during Cyclone Gabrielle and replaced with a temporary Bailey bridge, which remains in place.