Opening the new bridge ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2011 was a key target, and one by which the success of the project would be judged. In this regard, opening some 7 months ahead of target was an exceptional achievement.
Some benefits were delivered early, including the opening of one strategically identified lane some months ahead of the rest of the project that provided early relief to traffic congestion. The Alliance was also completed under budget. With construction waste being a huge contributor to New Zealand's increasingly stretched landfill resources, another important outcome was the alliance's recycling of 2600m3 of red chip barrier material from the existing highway.
The Manukau Harbour Crossing Alliance has won several awards, including:
2009
• Certificate of Merit, New Zealand Contractors' Federation (Auckland branch) Environmental Awards
• Overall winner, AB Equipment Trophy, New Zealand Contractors' Federation (Auckland branch) Safety Awards and winner for the Projects over $10m section
• Landscaping Award, New Zealand Concrete Society (for the sculpted rock wall on the Walmsley Road motorway off-ramp)
2010
• 2010 Winner of the Alliancing Team of Excellence Award at the Alliancing Association of Australasia (AAA) Excellence Awards.
• Merit in the HR Institute of New Zealand (Auckland) 2009 awards for a team building exercise to capture ideas from all members of the team
• The Fletchers 2009 "Bloody Good Idea" award for development of a new pile cutting machine
Further awards were achieved by sub-contractors. For example, in the 2010 NZ Ready Mixed Concrete Association Awards, the Technical Excellence Award was won by Firth Industries - who provided technically sophisticated concrete solutions to the project.