CRL Phase one to start mid year
On the back of the announcement from Precinct Properties to start their $550m – 35 storey waterfront tower, the Mayor also announced that mid year is when phase one of the City Rail Link would start. Phase one being the cut and cover tunnels from Britomart to Wyndham Street via Albert Street.
From the Office of the Mayor:
Mayor hails historic City Rail Link development
An agreement between Auckland Council and Precinct Properties announced this morning will enable the construction of the City Rail Link (CRL) to get underway through the company’s Downtown Development project at the bottom of Queen Street.
Mayor Len Brown is heralding the milestone as an historic moment for Auckland: “This is the first step towards the construction of the CRL. It will lead to an exciting transformation of the public spaces around the Britomart train station area. And it’s an example of how a partnership with the private sector can deliver economic transformation and more jobs in Auckland.”
The alignment of the CRL requires new rail tunnels to be constructed through the site presently occupied by the Downtown Shopping Centre, which is owned by Precinct Properties along with two adjacent commercial office towers, HSBC Tower at 1 Queen Street and Zurich House at 21 Queen Street.
The deal between the two parties enables the rail tunnels to be built as part of the Downtown Development Project.
Elements include:
- The sale to Precinct of Queen Elizabeth Square for $27.2 million
- Payment to Precinct of $9 million for provision of an East-West pedestrian laneway between Queen Street and Albert Street and compensation for tunnels volume
- Payment of $10.7 million for additional costs of office tower construction due to CRL tunnels
- Creation of a new downtown civic space between the project and Britomart
The sale of Queen Elizabeth Square was approved by Auckland Council’s Development Committee on 11 September 2014 after a report to council by staff pointed out the proceeds of this underutilised and poorly performing city space would enable the creation of new public spaces that better meet the needs of the area.
Len Brown says: “The agreement demonstrates the council’s positive business-friendly approach to city centre development while securing a great result for the ratepayer as it means cost savings for both parties.
“It ensures a coordinated approach to the construction work – with Auckland Transport building the CRL tunnels either side of the Precinct downtown shopping centre site from Britomart to Wyndham Street and Precinct Properties building the tunnels below its site.
“The Downtown Development Project will help create jobs giving the potential for 12,000 more people to be working close to public transport at Britomart.
“It is also the key to a number of projects that will kick-off the creation of a world-class downtown area including improvements to public space, transport facilities and urban design.”
Those improvements include:
- The replacement of an aging 40 year old shopping centre with the Downtown Development Project enhancing retail in the area with a three-level retail laneway development while the commercial office tower will deliver much-needed office space
- The creation of a pedestrian laneway, which re-instates a north-south link from Customs Street to Quay Street once existing as Little Queen Street. This link was lost during the large-scale demolition in the area in the 1970s
- Moving towards the establishment of a Lower Albert Street bus interchange which would enable a pedestrianised civic space to be created in front of Britomart presently existing as a road occupied by buses
- The protection of key views to important adjacent heritage buildings including the ferry building, Customhouse and the Dilworth building
The Mayor says: “Aucklanders have made it clear the CRL is their number one transport priority and this brings us closer to enabling a start to construction in about a year’s time.”
Construction of the Downtown section of the CRL is due to begin mid-year with completion by 2019. Tenders are due to go out later this year.
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City Rail Link Background
Project purpose
The CRL is key to delivering the Auckland Plan, the City Centre Master Plan, the Long Term Plan and the Integrated Transport Programme.
- Top transport priority for Auckland.
- Auckland will grow by more than 700,000 people in the next 30 years and the CRL coupled with surface bus improvements is the only way to keep Auckland moving.
- Current public transport will be unable to cater for this growth, hindering economic development.
- The CRL will provide opportunities for development, particularly around the stations.
Key facts:
- Removing the dead end at Britomart
- Two new underground stations at Aotea (11m depth) and K Rd (33m), and a redeveloped Mount Eden Station.
- Cut and cover construction along Albert Street and at Eden Terrace.
- Majority will be with tunnel boring machine (TBM) from Mayoral Drive to Eden Terrace.
Benefits
- The dead end at Britomart limits the capacity of Auckland’s rail network.
- The CRL will expand rail capacity to allow more frequent services.
- Travel times across the rail network will be shorter.
- Many services will be more direct.
- The number of people within 30 minutes train travel of a city centre station will double.
- Better city access will boost employment and the economy.
- Provides for future expansion of the rail network to the North Shore and the airport.
- Opportunities for station development and city shaping.
CRL Progress
- CRL notified Jan 2013
- Designation confirmed April 2014
- Five appeals now in mediation
- About 70 properties being purchased- about 56 to date
- About 30,000sq m of property under active management
- November 2014 – Council resolved to fund early construction
- Subterranean purchase to start 2015
Construction works packages
Contract 1 – Britomart to Downtown Shopping Centre (DSC)
- Temporary accommodation at Britomart behind the glass box
- Temporary bridging and decking for pedestrians and cyclists on lower Queen St
- Removing the subway between the CPO building and DSC
Downtown Shopping Centre (DSC)
- Precinct to develop the DSC site, and construct CRL tunnels below
Contract 2 – Albert St from Downtown Shopping Centre to Wyndham St
- Tunnels up Albert St to the southern side of the Wyndham St intersection
- A laydown area in lower Albert St
- Customs St kept open
- Stormwater relocation from Wellesley to Swanson Streets
Enabling Works Construction Timeline
Early 2015
- Resource consents notified
- DSC agreement
- Early works design contract awarded
- Main works reference design
Mid – late 2015
- Early works detailed design complete
- Negotiation process for early works construction
- Work starts from Britomart to Wyndham Street
2016+
- Works progress in the city centre and become more evident
- Ongoing communication with affected parties
——-ends——-
Some concepts of phase 1 of the CRL construction
Also see here: PRECINCT PROPERTIES PURCHASES QEII SQUARE, CRL TO START MID YEAR
Talking Southern Auckland 