Britomart works forge ahead
Works around Auckland’s busiest transport centre continue to soldier on, while adhering to heightened health and safety measures put in place for COVID-19 management.
The City Rail Link (CRL) construction at Britomart is currently centred around three main areas; upgrading the station itself, rebuilding the century-old Chief Post Office (CPO) building that sits on top of it and beautifying the resulting urban realm in front of the CPO between Customs Street and Quay Street.
The contractors delivering this scope of works, Downer and Soletanche Bachy Joint Venture (DSBJV), successfully opened the six-metre strip of footpath in Lower Queen Street adjacent to Commercial Bay on the eve of the Covid-19 lock-down. Tyler and Galway Streets have now been turned into two-way roads accessed from Commerce Street.
Within the next fortnight, the roof will be constructed to plant rooms in Lower Queen St that connect to the CPO basement level, and on top of the CRL tunnels below. This will represent a milestone for the completion of all heavy concrete works for the contract, meaning construction will then be able to focus on fitting out the station and the CPO building.
The site has adapted well to working under Covid-19 measures, which includes physical distancing and hygiene stations.
Head of Delivery Scott Elwarth said, “It’s really pleasing to see everyone on site respecting our new norm, the physical distancing and enhanced hygiene that is required of all New Zealanders. The team is committed to do its part to stop the spread of Covid, just as we are to deliver a world class underground railway.”
Two more metro-grade escalators are planned to be installed into the Britomart Station over two weekends in June. These top-of-the-line escalators, notably seen in London, New York and Tokyo undergrounds, are the first of their kind in New Zealand and will move people 30 per cent faster than the commercial-grade escalators previously used in Britomart.
These installations will be particularly visible to passengers using the station as the large escalator sections are manoeuvred onto the concourse, bolted together and lifted into position.