Billion-dollar breakthrough
A ‘‘breakthrough’’ in Auckland’s City Rail Link project brings the completion of one of New Zealand’s largest transport projects one step closer.
A curtain bearing the slogan ‘‘Auckland on track to a better future’’ dropped at the central Auckland construction site yesterday, marking the joining-up of tunnels on two sides of the project: one on Albert St and the other under the multimillion-dollar Commercial Bay development.
With the rumble of traffic overhead echoing through the connecting tunnel Auckland mayor Phil Goff said the milestone was a ‘‘breakthrough’’ and noted ‘‘we should have started this project five years ago’’.
The tunnelling and excavation work unveiled yesterday morning will allow tunnels in Albert St to link up to Britomart Station through the Commercial Bay development. At a cost of a billion dollars for every kilometre, the CRL is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country. The 3.4 kilometre underground train line will connect four stations in central Auckland.
Britomart and Mt Eden stations will be redeveloped and new stations will be built at Karangahape Rd and Aotea Square. When completed the project is expected to vastly increase the number of passengers that can be carried into the city by rail and to improve transport within the central city itself. CRL chief executive Sean Sweeney said the project would ‘‘completely transform the way people move around the city’’.
The Government approved an enlarged budget for the project in July, future-proofing it for increases in rail patronage. CRL is due to open in 2024.