A preferred route has now been identified for Auckland’s proposed CBD Rail Loop tunnel. The route was chosen out of three shortlisted options identified by consultants acting on behalf of ARTA and KiwiRail.
The tunnel would run between Mt Eden and Britomart, taking in Khyber Pass Road, Symonds Street and Karangahape Road, with the opportunity for three train station locations at Symonds Street/Khyber Pass Road; Karangahape Road/Pitt Street and on Albert Street between Victoria and Wellesley Streets (Refer to diagram below).
The option chosen has the three station locations under public roads, with the locations optimising redevelopment and growth opportunities for economic productivity and patronage; the least number of curves which means lower costs for the tunnel boring machine, and better operational speed for trains thus reducing operational costs.
An estimated 44,500 people work within 500m of the proposed Aotea Station site, while the Karangahape Road and Symonds Street sites both have approximately 7000 people working within a 500m radius.
The next step in the process will be to investigate potential costs and economic benefits that the tunnel would deliver to the region. This work will be undertaken from March to September this year with Phase Three, preparation of the notice of requirement documentation, completed by December this year
KiwiRail and ARTA have commissioned the APB&B group of consultants, comprising AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Beca and Hassell, to undertake the study.
The 3 kilometre (approximately) twin tracked tunnel will be up to 40 metres underground.
The height difference between Britomart and Mount Eden is approximately 70 metres.
The tunnel is expected to take seven to ten years to design and build.
Currently almost 58,000 people travel into Auckland’s CBD for work and education every week day morning at peak, with almost 33,000 of them using public transport.
Auckland’s projected population growth is well over two million people over the next four decades, which is over 70 per cent of New Zealand’s total projected growth.
Current population levels within 500 metres of the proposed K’Road station are in the region of 7,000 employees and 2,500 residents. With future amendments to the existing zoning there is capacity to provide for approximately 20,000 employees and 7,000 residents. Similar opportunities exist around Newton, while around the proposed Aotea station there is the capacity to more than double the employment opportunities from 40,000 to over 80,000.
A CBD Loop Tunnel complements the investment in the State Highway network by attracting long distance car trips off congested arterials and motorways, freeing them up for freight, commercial and other trips that cannot be made by public transport.
Please click on the image to enlarge.
Proposed Route
The CBD loop, made possible by the Government’s decision to electrify Auckland’s rail network, has the potential to be a transformational project for the region, providing significant economic, social and environmental benefits, as well as revitalising the CBD and giving Auckland a truly international feel.
It will provide easy pedestrian access to all the CBD’s commercial, tourist, residential, and educational amenities.
The proposed tunnel will allow more train movements, by unlocking the capacity constraint of Britomart (developing Britomart into a through station).
The CBD Loop Tunnel will unlock the potential of Auckland’s rapid rail transit network, making the tunnel as important to the rail system as the central motorway junction is to the motorways.
The proposed tunnel is regarded as a key element in future transport infrastructure for Auckland by increasing capacity across the entire rail network, bringing the rail network into the heart of the city and stimulating economic development in the busy CBD area by reducing traffic congestion.
