A consortium involving Fletcher Construction has succeeded to grab the contract for New Zealand's largest construction project, the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Afterwards, the Fletcher Engineering General Manager, Graham Darlow, conceded that the Waterview contract was 'a bit of a lifesaver'.

Fletcher Construction possesses a 32% shares in the Well-Connected Consortium, named by NZTA as the winner of the tender process for the $1.4 billion Waterview Connection project. The project is aimed to complete Auckland's Western Ring Route.

The Chief Executive of NZTA, Geoff Dangerfield, has claimed that the announcement marks a significant milestone towards a transport solution which will play a role to efficiently deliver many benefits for the country.

"The Waterview Connection is the key transport link needed to complete the Western Ring Route. This will have a major change on the way traffic moves around Auckland, keeping the city moving and the economy growing. This important travel solution will reduce congestion and provide a strategic alternative to SH1 the countrys busiest motorway”, added Geoff Dangerfield.

Sources said 130 houses will be eradicated from the area, as per the demand of project, and construction work is scheduled to start from November and expected to complete by 2016.