The Eastern Busway Alliance has been recognised at the 2025 Civil Contractors New Zealand (CCNZ) Awards, receiving the Excellence in Onsite / Management Innovation Award for its outstanding work on Rā Hihi – flyover in Auckland.

Craig Fletcher, Country Manager ACCIONA New Zealand, commended the achievement.

"This award is a testament to the alliance’s commitment to innovation and collaboration," Craig said.

"Delivering Rā Hihi - flyover required creative solutions and strong partnerships, and this recognition reflects the exceptional teamwork that continues to drive the Eastern Busway project forward."

The award acknowledges the alliance’s innovative approach and dedication to delivering complex infrastructure.

The Eastern Busway Alliance brings together Auckland Transport, Fletcher Construction, ACCIONA, AECOM and Jacobs, working in partnership with mana whenua to create a transport corridor that improves connectivity and supports sustainable growth in Auckland.

Rā Hihi – flyover is a critical component of the Eastern Busway project, designed to enhance safety and efficiency for thousands of commuters each day.

The project exemplifies how collaboration and technical excellence can set new benchmarks for infrastructure delivery in New Zealand.

The flyovers’s unique features required  several distinctive practices, which included:

• Custom heavy-duty steel formwork designed and built for the structure’sr’s 16 flared architectural piers. This included a specially engineered removable wedge panel – a creative solution that allowed the alliance to strip the form from hardened concrete with ease, something not achieved in previous projects.
  
• Low-heat, low-carbon concrete mix developed with the alliance’s  supplier, replacing up to 70 per cent of cement with slag and fly ash.
  
• Wireless concrete sensors deployed to monitor temperature and strength gain in real time. This was the alliance’s first use of an intelligent sensor system to guide formwork removal, and it proved invaluable.
  
• Innovative handling of temporary works. Instead of dismantling and rebuilding support towers for each span, the project team used two cranes to lift and relocate entire steel falsework towers in large sections. Diaphragm cycles which were scheduled for three and a half weeks were completed in just two.

The CCNZ award highlights the alliance’s role in shaping future-ready transport solutions and reinforces the importance of partnerships in achieving world-class outcomes.

The Eastern Busway continues to progress as one of Auckland’s most significant transport initiatives, improving travel times and supporting economic development across the region.

ACCIONA remains committed to delivering sustainable, innovative infrastructure that benefits communities and strengthens New Zealand’s transport network.