Latest and previous construction photos are also in our
For stories and photos about the project's progress read our latest (and previous editions) of our
Construction work changes that could affect you are listed in our
Time-lapse videos
24 April 2018
These videos show construction in the former CPO (Britomart), outside the CPO in Lower Queen Street and the tunnel construction at Precinct's Commercial Bay development.
CRL tunnel box construction to start on Albert St trench
23 April 2018
At the Wyndham Street end, contractor Connectus JV is lowering 16 temporary formworks (frames) to the bottom of the trench, which will be used to cast CRL tunnel walls.
Construction starts this week of the first 12-metre long wall section of CRL tunnels within the Albert Street trench.
Meanwhile, the bulk excavation of the Albert Street trench continues towards the Customs Street intersection.
The excavation and tunnel box construction is expected to be completed by the end of this year, at which time the Albert St tunnels will be joined to those constructed under the Commercial Bay development site.
Britomart construction works update
23 April 2018
Work continues in and around the historic CPO building to prepare for construction of the CRL tunnels that will make Britomart a through station.
UNDERPINNING: The beams form an important part of the building support system during tunnel excavation
Inside the CPO, installation of steel underpinning beams continues. The beams form an important part of the building support system during tunnel excavation.
Guide walls have been constructed through Lower Queen St to prepare for secant piling. Made of reinforced concrete, these piles lock together for strength and to control any groundwater ingress into the tunnel excavation.
The secant pile walls will connect the excavation under Britomart to the one at Precinct Properties’ Commercial Bay development on the other side of Lower Queen St, where CRL tunnel boxes are already being constructed.
Tunnel construction beneath the CPO and across Lower Queen St is expected to begin at the end of this year and be completed in 2019.
Mount Eden work starting
10 April 2018
Work is about to start on CRL’s C6 contract to demolish two buildings and divert a 400-metre section of stormwater main at Mt Eden.
The stormwater main must be diverted before any future station works at Mt Eden, as the alignment of the existing watermain clashes with the location of the future CRL tunnels at Mt Eden.
Before the stormwater diversion, CRL needs to demolish apartments at 26 Mt Eden Road and the former Hyde Group building on the corner of Nikau and Ruru Streets. A specialist demolition contractor is undertaking this work, which will be completed by May.
After demolition, shafts will be dug at Water and Ruru Streets. They will launch and receive the micro tunnel boring machine that will install the replacement stormwater line.
The tunnel will be completed in a single drive from Water to Ruru. A third shaft at Mt Eden Road will provide future access to the watermain via a manhole.
This work is expected to be completed by autumn 2019.
The Stormwater route
The shafts:
Water St (launch)
- 16m deep secant pile construction
- 8.5m internal diameter
Mt Eden Rd (access)
- 18m deep
- 2.5m internal diameter
Ruru St (receiving)
- 15m deep shaft
- 9.4m internal diameter
Work programme
April 2018 Demolition works
May/June 2018 Shaft works, followed by pipe-jacking
Autumn 2019 Expected completion
Pollutant traps
In addition to the stormwater realignment, pollutant traps will be installed at Boston and Normandy Roads as part of the stormwater network improvements for Auckland. They will capture large and non-biodegradable waste such as litter and coarse sediment to prevent it reaching waterways.
Boston Road April-May 2018
Normanby Road: Spring 2018
Each trap takes about four weeks to install.
Time-lapse videos
19 March 2018
These videos show construction in the former CPO (Britomart), outside the CPO in Lower Queen Street and the tunnel construction at Precinct's Commercial Bay development.
Secant piling underway
05 March 2018
Guide walls have been constructed through Lower Queen Street. These are for the secant piling (construction of intersecting reinforced concrete piles) which is getting underway.
Made of reinforced concrete, these piles lock together for strength and to control any groundwater ingress into the tunnel excavation.
The secant pile walls will connect the excavation under Britomart to the excavation at Precinct Properties’ Commercial Bay development on the other side of Lower Queen St, where CRL tunnel boxes are being constructed.
The pits are excavated to the depth of the polystyrene blocks. The blocks are shaped and interlaced together in the pit with rebar cages either side. Concrete is then poured into the cages around the polystyrene and left to set. This forms the guide walls.
To construct the secant piles, a new 70 tonne piling rig has been brought in and will start by drilling into each polystyrene section to guide the drill in the correct direction and then continue drilling down to the depth of 16m. Reinforcing will be place and concrete poured to lock the piles together tightly. There will be a total of 70 piles.
Tunnel Box Pour
01 March 2018
The construction of the Albert St tunnel box is going well. The first 12 metres of waterproofing has been completed for the first slab so reinforcing works have just started.
The first slab will be completed on Saturday and the first pour will begin on Monday.
Two tonnes bundles have been individually lifted between the struts to the trench floor by contractor CRS Ltd. It takes 8 steel fixers 5 days to tie together one floor slab (12 metres). 20 Tonnes of steel are used for the first slab.
Sandrine leaves
14 February 2018
She's off on a long journey home.
Sandrine heads back to France. The bright red 90-tonne piling rig has finished working around the historic CPO (Britomart) building for contractor Downer Soletanche-Bachy JV.
Thanks for your great work Sandrine and all those who worked with her
Albert Street Trench Construction Starts
14 February 2018
In Albert Street, construction of the first tunnel box is starting.
It takes three days to install the first 12 metres of the waterproofing.
Final concrete pour for D-wall
31 January 2018
Downer Soletanche JV workers have begun the final concrete pour for the 64th and final diaphragm wall (D-wall) in the CPO. The walls were required to support the CRL tunnel excavation under Britomart Station.
The D-walls not only provide soil retention and control groundwater ingress but support the weight of the historic building during tunnel construction.
This also means the end of the work there for the big piling rig Sandrine. The 90-tonne compact rig Sandrine moved into the CPO in September 2017 to dig those 15 to 20-metre-deep wall panels that form the structural support for the CRL tunnels.
