April 11th, 2022
What’s new on the CRL worksites in Auckland, New Zealand?
Environment | News | Process | Project | Technique
Work is progressing rapidly and efficiently on the CRL worksites. Here is an update on the progress of current and future works…
As announced in a previous update, the City Rail Link (CRL) worksite reached some crucial milestones at the end of 2021 and the start of 2022:
- In the southern zone, a combined effort by the “C5” civil engineering and “C7” railway works teams has allowed a new track to be brought into service on the existing network – which was operating on a single track to enable us to work. And this was achieved despite the August-September lockdown! This allowed us to begin dismantling and relaying the second track, due for delivery at the end of the year.
- On “C3”, our tunnel boring machine completed its first section on 22 December, in the presence of the Minister for Transport and the Mayor of Auckland – one month ahead of schedule!
Activity resumed after the Christmas break, which marks the start of the main summer holiday here. Here is an overview from north to south:
At Aotea station, the diaphragm walls were completed before Christmas and the earthworks reached their final level in the north and south zones. In the central section, the cover slab is progressing and the “top-down” earthworks will now be able to begin. The building at the south entrance has reached the third floor and the masonry work is progressing, both below and above ground.
At Karangahape station, earthworks have also been completed on the main access shaft and drainage has been installed. The plug has been poured and reinforcement of the walls is under way. The earthworks for the second entrance have reached the station tunnels. Digging of the tunnels and platforms is complete and work has begun on the provisional surface coating. The formwork tool for the final surfacing is being assembled.
At Mount Eden station, the major network diversion work is finally complete and the platform structure is taking shape, as well as the basement level of the ventilation plant. The above-ground section of the MC60 tunnel, which will connect the existing tracks to the MC30 tunnel, is also progressing. Finally, the footbridge linking the future station to the platforms on the existing tracks has been installed. The facade is awaiting a future track closure.
Following dismantling of the south track in the “C5” connection zone, piling and sheet-piling work resumed, along with earthworks for the tunnel beneath the tracks that have returned to service. Road and infrastructure work also continued to prepare for reopening of the track crossings that have been temporarily closed.
The TBM has returned to its starting point and is currently being reassembled at Mount Eden. The curved start required a pre-tunnel, which was finished just in time! The tunnels housing the forks have been excavated and surfacing is under way. First-phase concreting has started in the first bored-tunnel section
Goals over the next few months are to:
- Complete the retaining walls and earthworks for the second “C5” track and finish two of the bridges re-establishing the roads above the tracks.
- Complete the structures for the Mount Eden platform and the ventilation plant and, in parallel, start the foundations and structures of the station itself.
- Restart the tunnel-boring machine after Easter, having re-installed the conveyor. In the first section, complete the first phase of concreting up to Britomart station and the earthworks for the four cross passages in the bored tunnel.
- Pour the final surface coating of the West Karangahape platform before the TBM work scheduled for early July. Continue the underground structures for the two access shafts and begin the superstructures for the main entrance.
- At Aotea, complete the station superstructure work, continue the “top-down” earthworks and continue work on the structures and partitions for the south and north underground technical rooms.
