Pedestrian overbridge art highlights Swansons heritage

Old tales of rail in Swanson and extracts of West Auckland literature will feature in an innovative artwork to adorn a new pedestrian overbridge planned for Swanson Rail Station.
Waitakere City Council’s Culture and Community Committee approved a concept design by Titirangi graphic artist Luke Wood to incorporate into the bridge.

Wood’s design is a text-based digital artwork which uses modern sign board technology which will enable words to scroll across the deck of the bridge, creating a constantly moving and changing work.

It has the potential to be utilised to feature up to date rail service information.

The committee also recommended that the Infrastructure and Works Committee approve the work be developed and implemented from the rail station precincts upgrade budget.
“Incorporating art into the bridge is not just about making it look pretty, there are some very real and practical reasons at the core of this project,” says committee chair Judy Lawley.

“A bridge over the rail line is necessary to ensure safety of rail commuters so it has to be built. But we don’t want it to be a bulk standard bridge.”
She says this way the artwork adds interest for users and highlights Swanson’s heritage and its connection to the railway.

KiwiRail (formerly ONTRACK) will install lifts at the bridge rather than long access ramps to enable disabled access. This will help to soften the visual impact of what is a large structure. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority will maintain the lifts.

A contract for the construction of the overbridge is about to be let with work expected to begin in about two weeks. Planned completion is around the end of the year.