In Palmerston North, New Zealand, He Ara Kotahi is more than a bridge – it’s a pathway that brings people together. Integrating Māori design principles, placemaking concepts and nature-inspired aesthetics with advanced engineering, the bridge has become a feature of the city as well as attracting 600,000 users in its first year.

A sense of place

If you’re familiar with the Karaka tree, you’ll know it’s unmistakeable; the dense canopy, dotted with orange berries in autumn, the elegant trunks once growing over 15 metres tall along the banks of the Manawatū River in Te Papa-i-Oea (Palmerston North).

The Manawatū River holds immense mana (spiritual authority and significance) for Rangitāne o Manawatū, playing a vital role in their cultural and spiritual identity. It also shapes the character and identity of the city, weaving together the natural environment and the lives of its people.

A congested city arterial road runs along and across the river and is noisy, busy and had a history of fatal and serious pedestrian and cycle crashes. This didn’t reflect the city’s goals to become recognised as vibrant, caring, innovative and sustainable.

It was time for an alternative crossing, incorporating respect for the landscape, a fresh integration of the past, present and future and a new approach to integrate the city with its surroundings.

Transforming engagement and environment

Palmerston North City Council asked us to lead this transformation, taking care of everything from where the bridge should be located, community engagement, environmental impact and assessment of environmental effects work (AEE), concept development and detailed design, and management, surveillance and quality assurance (MSQA).

We investigated three potential sites for an alternative walking and cycling crossing, before identifying a new fourth site, using behavioural science modelling and drawing on extensive engagement with local communities to predict the best location.

He Ara Kotahi was founded on the principal of collaborative partnership and connection. The final bridge is 200 metres long and 4.2 metres wide, with an original and captivating design.

Dedicated paths for pedestrians and cyclists create a safe, direct, and scenic connection between the city centre, education and science institutions and army base while also guiding visitors sensitively to sites of historical and spiritual importance.

In a collaborative process, WSP and o ur partners designed the colours and patterns on top of the bridge, reflecting the cultural and natural heritage of the Manawatū. This includes Rangitāne-designed motifs, including koru patterns symbolising people and puriri waka representing moth holes in bark.

The design also draws people to the river for recreation, with an adaptive area and plaza on the city bank for stage sports, events or parking. It’s a gem for wildlife-spotters, with kārearea (New Zealand falcon), pheasants, herons, pīwakawaka, tūī, kererū and green tree gecko all spotted nearby.

The bridge has been more than a connection to the community. It’s been a symbol of partnership and collaboration.

The bridge’s success is undeniable: the project scope was to build excitement for the council’s biggest investment to date and make sure the community adopted it as a preferred conduit across the city for active mode users.

On the opening weekend, 12,000 people used the bridge and in the following two months, PNCC’s tracker recorded 111,000 groups using the pathway. Twelve months after opening, user numbers had reached 600,000. On average, 5,000 people use the He Ara Kotahi daily, with peaks of 7,000 visitors in a single day.

With its thoughtful design and cultural significance, He Ara Kotahi stands as a testament to what’s possible when we build infrastructure with people and place in mind.