This page backgrounds the CRL work in the Mt Eden-Eden Terrace area.
As part of the City Rail Link (CRL) project the existing Mt Eden train station will be enlarged and redeveloped to incorporate a modern new station building with elevated views of Maungawhau (Mt Eden) and a platform for the new CRL line. The station will also remain a stop for the existing Western Line services, making it a busy rail junction.
Contact us
This work around the Mt Eden Station is being done by the Link Alliance - a consortium of seven companies, including CRL Ltd, which is delivering the main stations and tunnels for the CRL project.
If you have any questions or concerns about the Link Alliance works for the station:
PHONE 0800 CRL TALK (0800 275 8255) and press 5.
Info sessions
The Link Alliance’s Mt Eden Station team holds community information sessions on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 4.30pm to 6.30pm at their construction site office at 97 Mt Eden Road.
What’s happening in the Mt Eden Station area
The CRL works in the Mt Eden Station area involves the construction of twin rail lines that will tie-in to the existing North Auckland Rail Line (NAL) and redevelopment of a Mt Eden Station building and platforms.
Given the nature and scale of CRL works, construction will be undertaken in a staged manner in various locations. Preparatory works, including demolition, network utility relocation and site set up works, are almost complete and works are currently underway to enable the launch of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). These works include:
Relocation of underground utility services within the construction.
Construction of the tunnel portal which involves piling, excavation and ground retention for the tunnel entrance at the corner of Flower and Nikau Streets and demolition of redundant stormwater shaft.
Excavation of two trenches into the portal area, initially to enable movement of the TBM but ultimately to form the new CRL railway lines that connect to the existing North Auckland (Western) Line. This excavation will include removal of basalt, which will be managed by a series of controlled blasts using small explosive charges to avoid prolonged rock breaking activities.
Mining of a short section of tunnel at the entrance of the tunnel portal to launch the TBM.
Western Line / North Auckland Line Integration
The new Mt Eden Station will remain a stop for the existing Western Line / North Auckland Line (NAL) services, making it a busy rail junction for passengers travelling to and from the city centre or connecting to other services via Newmarket.
Prior to the station opening in 2024, significant changes need to be made in and around the rail corridor at Mt Eden to integrate the new CRL lines with the existing rail infrastructure and construct new overbridges for vehicles and/or pedestrians and cyclists.
Currently, preparatory works are underway along the Mt Eden corridor. These works include:
Diverting utility services away from the rail line along Fenton Street and Normanby Road.
Diverting utilities on Mt Eden Road to enable us to construct an additional Mt Eden Road bridge for the CRL line to pass underneath.
Building the foundations for a temporary utility services bridge across the rail line of Normanby Road
Undertaking ground strengthening works in the corridor between Mt Eden Road and Normanby Road before rail trench construction begins.
News release (16 December 2020) about mining hours
16 December 2020
Work hours change will drive CRL tunnel build
Tunnel mining at the City Rail Link’s Mt Eden site is switching to a 24-hour operation Monday-to- Friday to help maintain construction momentum on New Zealand’s largest transport infrastructure project.
Twenty-four hour work at the tunnel portal site on the corner of Nikau and Flower Streets starts tomorrow (Thursday, 17 December).
Mining will continue 24 hours Monday-to-Friday. Saturday mining hours are restricted to 7am-7pm. There will be no work on Sundays nor on public holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Link Alliance Project Director, Francois Dudouit, says measures are in place to reduce the impact the increased hours may have of on the project’s residential and business neighbours.
“Mine tunnelling is an essential part of launching our Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) next April, but we are mindful of our supportive neighbours and we’ll be doing all we can to reduce any disturbance from our night works in particular,” he says
Work may produce some low-level noise and vibration which will reduce as mining gets deeper, and Mr Dudouit says noise and vibration will be closely monitored by environmental experts.
Mitigations in place will include:
Placing a curtain at the portal entrance to reduce noise
Scheduling noisier work to day shifts.
Lights used at night will be angled down directly onto the work site to avoid light pollution
Mr Dudouit says the increased hours are temporary and are necessary to complete a 51 metre-long entrance to the tunnel over the next four months.
Work during the 24-hour operations include digging at the portal face, removing the spoil, spraying concrete (shotcrete) inside the cavern to stabilise foundations and drilling. The Link Alliance is building a cavern and trench which the TBM will use to start its journey underground into central Auckland. The trench will later become the railway line connecting CRL with the Western Line at the redeveloped Mt Eden station.
Separate to the work at the tunnel portal, other programmes of work will start at the wider Mt Eden site during the holiday break starting on Boxing Day (26 December) until 10 January. Work will start at 7am except on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day when there will be an 8am start. There will be some night work.
Mr Dudouit says this work coincides with KiwiRail’s temporary closure of the Western Line
“Safety is a key driver behind our decision as some of the activities require removal of the track or it takes place immediately adjacent to the track. If the trains were running, we would be encroaching on the allowable safety clearances. Ramping up working hours allows us to complete a big chunk of important work during the holiday break and reduces the need for us to do that in the future.“ Mr Dudouit adds that like work at the tunnel portal, measures will be in places to reduce noise, vibration, light pollution and dust.
A map and a full list of works notifications for each specific area around the Mt Eden site is here
From 23 December 2020 - 5 January 2021 the Mt Eden site office will be closed. If people do have questions or concerns, they can contact the Link Alliance’s Mt Eden Station team on phone: 0800 CRL TALK (275 8255) - choose option 5.
The Link Alliance is delivering CRL’s main stations, tunnels and rail services contract for City Rail Link Ltd. CRL is due to be completed in 2024, delivering widespread benefits for Auckland that include more frequent and quicker train services.
Read the latest Mt Eden newsletter
Details here about the Porters Avenue changes
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What’s planned for Mt Eden station
Western Line Integration (PDF 745KB)
Mt Eden Station - Information on upcoming works (PDF 4.2MB)
What to expect during the first stage of work (PDF 649KB)
Managing the Impacts of Construction Activity (PDF 397KB)
What's happening in the Mt Eden Station area (PDF 832KB)
What's happening on site 2019-2020 (PDF 642KB)
Working with the Local Community (PDF 668KB)
Consent plans can be found at this link below
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about these works, please email mteden@linkalliance.co.nz or phone 0800 CRL TALK (0800 275 8255) and press 5.
FOR MORE ABOUT THE REDEVELOPED STATION AND THE MOUNT EDEN COMMUNITY LIAISON GROUP