July and August were important months for the development of Auckland’s city centre.

Preparation for the construction of City Rail Link (CRL) is now well underway, and the demolition of the Downtown Shopping Centre has passed its midway point.

Acoustic shed helps reduce noise

A large ‘acoustic shed’ has been built over the intersection of Albert and Victoria streets. The shed houses a gantry crane, and also helps reduce the amount of noise caused by the construction.

Beneath the ‘shed’ a deep shaft will be excavated to enable a micro-tunnel boring machine (MTBM) to be lowered and bore a new section of the Ōrākei Sewer Main (OMS) across Albert Street.

The reception shaft on the opposite side of Victoria Street that will ‘receive’ the MTBM has been excavated.

Stormwater tunnelling underway

A deep shaft on Victoria Street, built as part of preparation works for the City Rail Link construction. 

Further along at the Albert Street/Wellesley Street intersection another shaft is under construction, with preparations for a fourth shaft at Swanson Street soon to commence.

These two deep shafts will be the start and end points for the new stormwater main to be pipe along Albert Street.

Story credit: Emerging Auckland

Traffic update

Wolfe Street from Federal to Albert streets will be closed on August 27 and 28.

From Monday 29 August, for several months, Albert Street northbound will be closed from Wolfe Street to Custom Street and traffic direction in Wolfe Street will be reversed to facilitate City Rail Link construction.

Main changes:

• Vehicles will have to enter Wolfe from Albert Street
• Vehicles will not be able to exit Wolfe into Albert Street

Wolfe Street from Hobson Street to Federal Street is unaffected.