Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the much-anticipated replacement of the one lane Kopu Bridge on State Highway 25 between Auckland and the Coromandel will start in July.

Tenders for the project are due to close in mid June and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) expects to award the construction contract by the end of July.

"Work towards the replacement of the Kopu Bridge was not scheduled to start until 2010, but we were able to bring that forward as part of the government's $500 million Jobs and Growth plan.

"The construction of the new bridge will come as a huge relief to those reliant on it, particularly during the peak holiday period when queues of up to 10 kilometres long are not unheard of.

"The NZ Transport Agency tells me they are pulling out all stops to get this project underway and complete as quickly as possible," says Mr Joyce.

The project comprises the construction of a new 580m long two-lane bridge over the Waihou River at Kopu along with a new four-leg roundabout at the junction of SH25 and SH26 and about 2.5km of associated approach roads, including a new link road to SH26 east of the bridge.

Further information on the Kopu Bridge project can be found at: www.nzta.govt.nz/kopubridge.