Work is continuing apace on the City Rail Link that will see a 3.5km electrified, double-track rail tunnel run underneath Auckland’s city centre.
The top 1.5 metres of roadway on Albert Street between Wyndham and Swanson Streets is being progressively removed to allow the installation of extensive steel support structure.
This structure will hold piled retaining walls apart during the City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel excavation along Albert Street and will also support a pre-cast concrete deck that enables the entire excavation to be completed while maintaining a lane of traffic in each direction.
This operation will progress towards Customs Street in the coming months and is expected to be complete in October.
During this time, contractors Connectus will also start excavating down to the level of the CRL, progressively moving north from the Wyndham Street end.
The Albert/Customs Street intersection sees construction underway on the third portion of the traffic deck which will form part of a bridge structure that spans the entire intersection, allowing all four traffic lanes to be re-established while the CRL tunnels are constructed underneath.
Now that the stormwater replacement has been completed, the shafts that received the tunnel boring machines are being sealed and backfilled.
This will allow the hoardings and construction sites to be removed from Swanson and Wellesley Streets.
The Swanson Street shaft has been completed and reinstated, but the two shafts at Victoria Street will remain in place until October while strengthening of the Orakei Main Sewer is undertaken.
This work is required before the start of construction on the future mid-town station.
While Britomart Station continues to function as normal, there’s a lot of work going mostly unnoticed in the former Chief Post Office (CPO) entrance building.
The floor is being removed, piling works have started, the glass bridge that used to run between the CPO and Commerce Street is being removed, and diaphragm walls are being constructed in preparation for tunnel construction.
In addition, a huge utilities trench has been dug in Galway Street, revealing something of our city’s past, as detailed below.
With Lower Queen Street now closed to pedestrians, more substantial construction equipment will be installed and piling in the area will begin in October.
