Auckland CBD businesses gain respite from City Rail Link

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Inner city business owners will be relieved to see City Rail Link work has ended in Albert St.

Five years of City Rail Link work has come to fruition at the intersection of Albert St and Wolfe St in Auckland's CBD.

Digging up the busy city street for rail tunnels took longer than expected and caused hardship for businesses in the area, said City Rail Link Ltd chief executive Dr Sean Sweeney.

"There have been robust discussions over the years, but we have worked hard with local businesses to find suitable solutions to offset impacts when work fell behind schedule including the introduction of rent assistances scheme for those who qualified,” said Sweeney.

“We hope we are leaving behind a rejuvenated and transformed street.”

Work began in late 2015 on the city rail link section at the lower end of Albert St.

A trench was excavated down the middle of Albert St between Customs St and Wyndham St to build the project’s twin underground tunnels 350-metres long.

At Commercial Bay they connected with the tunnel built from Britomart Station.

Construction also involved relocating an important stormwater line and strengthening a section of a large sewer main.

Tunnel construction finished in mid-2019 and Albert St was back filled up to road level.

Street beautifying followed – building wider pavements, installing new street furniture and lighting, planting native trees and creating bus bays to upgrade public transport.

Sweeney says the end to the work at the lower end of Albert Street is an important milestone.

“Historically it is where CRL’s construction began, but when you look ahead it’s a timely reminder that CRL is a transformational project for the whole of Auckland."

"Alongside that city-wide view we have a commitment to leave a positive legacy locally where we have had to put our spades into the ground.“

Meanwhile, work is continuing from the Wyndham St intersection to extend the city rail link further south along Albert St to join the new Aotea underground station in the city centre.