A 100m-long suspension bridge is being built across Manganui Gorge this year as part of the multimillion-dollar Taranaki Crossing project.

DOC called for tenders for the bridge build late last year but just how much it will cost is unclear. A spokesperson said the department could not give an estimate until February, when the tender process would be completed.

The bridge will be funded out of the $13.3 million Provincial Growth Fund grant awarded in 2019 for the Taranaki Crossing, a 41km track network running from Dawson Falls, over the Pouakai Range, to Mangorei Road.

It is hoped the Crossing will be a major drawcard for visitors, generating $3.7m a year for Taranaki’s economy by 2025 and showcasing the natural and cultural heritage of Taranaki Maunga.

The new bridge will be part of the track connecting Stratford Plateau car park with Manganui ski field.

DOC’s Gareth Hopkins said the bridge would replace a short section of track through Manganui Gorge that was prone to washouts and avalanches.

It would make it easier and safer for people to make the 30-minute hike from the car park to the ski field, Hopkins said.

“We have a design confirmed,   incorporating a 1.2m-wide deck and towers up to 22m high,” he said.

“The bridge designer has been working on an elegant yet strong design that sits slightly hidden up the Manganui Gorge.”

The decking will be a fibre-reinforced plastic for drainage and grip.