Kia ora <<First Name>>,

The heart of Tāmaki Makaurau is being transformed and, as part of that, construction of the Aotea Station progresses. 

On Sunday, 27 June, the Wellesley Street & Albert Street intersection will reopen; and then on Tuesday, 29 June, the Victoria Street & Albert Street intersection will close to traffic. It is expected to reopen in 2023.

Read on to find out all the details you'll need - these changes are now only a few weeks away.

- Visit the City Rail Link website for more information >>
- Download a copy of our brochure, including a map of the changes >>

As always, to contact us you can email aotea@linkalliance.co.nz or call 0800 CRL TALK (0800 275 8255 and press option 3). 

Ngā mihi nui,
The Aotea Station team

From Sunday 27 June, Wellesley Street will become the main east-west bus corridor through the city centre and many bus routes will move from Victoria Street to Wellesley Street.

Bus services will continue to depart from their first bus stop at their usual time, however journey times may vary by a few minutes through the city due to these new routes.

Visit the Auckland Transport website for more information about new bus stops and changes for each bus route >>

AT Journey Planner or AT Mobile will show the new bus routes, stops and times from 27 June 2021.

Interested in switching up your commute?
Auckland Transport is offering a limited amount of free two-week travel passes on buses and trains, if you'd like to give it a go. They've also got cycling and walking gear available as an added incentive to get active. Click here to sign up  >>

The "look and feel" of the area
A permanent streetscape upgrade to Wellesley Street West is planned for 2023, so the re-opening later this month will not be the "finished product". While the road and footpaths will be fully functional, you will notice temporary features such as traffic lights in concrete barrels and temporary street lights.

No general traffic westbound between Queen Street & Albert Street
With significant numbers of buses in the area, Auckland Transport has implemented bus priority measures in the area, including 24/7 bus lanes in both directions on Wellesley Street. Following an AT public consultation earlier this year, there will also be restrictions on westbound traffic movements between Queen Street and Albert Street - no westbound general traffic will be allowed through this area.

Loading zones near Wellesley
Auckland Transport has agreed to provide additional loading zone capacity in the area, due to the removal of loading zones on Wellesley Street West to allow for bus services. Loading hours have been extended on Elliott Street to 6am-6pm everyday. This extension to loading capacity is temporary and only applies for the duration of the Aotea Station construction. Elliott Street remains a shared space with pedestrians - please take care. 

Access to carparks is maintained
Access to all major carparks continues. The Civic carpark remains accessible from Mayoral Drive, while the Atrium Carpark on Albert Street and Wilson Parking's Elliott Street carpark remain accessible via Wellesley Street West. See map above for route planning.

Mayoral Drive access
The section of Mayoral Drive linking with Wellesley Street West remains closed whilst the construction of the station entrance building continues. Access to local businesses and the Civic Carpark is maintained via the Cook Street / Vincent Street intersection.

Following the re-opening of Wellesley Street West, the Victoria Street & Albert Street intersection will close to traffic soon after 10pm on Tuesday 29 June. It is expected to remain closed for approximately two years, re-opening in 2023. During the closure, all businesses are still open and the intersection remains fully accessible to pedestrians. 

With early utility relocation works already underway, the construction "switch" to the Victoria Street & Albert Street intersection allows us to continue upgrading and relocating underground utilities,  begin station structure construction in this area and ultimately complete the streetscape improvements before the station opens. 

These changes will affect different businesses and residents in different ways -- if you have any specific questions about what the changes mean for you or would like support in a particular area, please email us at aotea@linkalliance.co.nz or call us on 0800 CRL TALK (option 3).

We have regular in-person community liaison meetings you are welcome to attend, and our team will be visiting all affected businesses in person over the coming weeks. We are here to support and assist you through these changes. 

Exact timing of the closure
Travel through the Victoria St / Albert St intersection will be reduced to one lane in each direction from Sunday 27 June. On Tuesday 29 June, closure preparations will begin at 10pm, and the intersection will be fully closed soon after. The intersection will remain closed to vehicles for approximately two years. 

What to expect during the first few weeks
Initial construction activity at the intersection will focus on utility upgrades and relocations. Some of this work can be noisy and dusty so we'll have a range of construction mitigations in place to minimise impact to our neighbours. We select quieter hydrovac trucks where possible, and install noise mats and dust control measures.

Click here for more information about the construction programme including our station milestone tracker >>

Click here for more information about how we monitor and mitigate construction effects  >>

Hoardings, fences, and pedestrian wayfinding
During construction at the intersection, we will mainly use temporary metal fencing rather than solid hoardings. This is due to the frequently changing construction needs (especially during utilities work). Magenta wayfinding signs will support your journey through the intersection.

There will be two main footpaths across the intersection running from the AA building across Victoria Street to the Mexican Cafe building, and then from near Roma Blooms Florist across Albert Street to the Surf & Snow Backpackers building. Step-free footpaths will be maintained for prams and wheelchairs. If you are on a bike or e-scooter, please "walk your wheels" through the intersection. 

On the fences you'll also see information about the project as well as posters promoting the range of local businesses in the area. 

Loading zones
With bus stops no longer in use surrounding the intersection, these will be converted into loading zones. The main loading zones will be located on Victoria Street -- between Elliott Street & Queen Street and Federal Street & Hobson Street. Signage will be installed to clearly mark their locations. We recognise for some businesses these locations are further away from current loading areas, however we are unable to provide loading zones immediately at the intersection for safety reasons during construction. 

Te Pūkaki - Aotea Station's public information centre
The "green container" information centre that had its home previously on Wellesley Street will be relocated to Victoria Street in the weeks following the intersection closure.

Activations and events are planned in the area with the aim of enhancing the neighbourhood and encouraging visitation to the area. Watch out for more details about the Link Alliance's "Activate Aotea" programme. 

Health and safety is a top priority of the Link Alliance, and this extends to the public environment during the intersection closure. A range of measures will be in place such as accessible step-free walkways, pedestrian lighting, perspex windows and lines of sight through hoardings, and regular cleaning of the area.

We employ a full-time overnight security guard to patrol the site area. Auckland Council (24/7 phone 09 3010101) is able to assist with public hygiene incidents or urgent clean-ups required. Please contact us immediately to report any undesirable behavior or incidents. If you suspect illegal activity, please call 111 if it's an emergency, or 105 for non-emergency.

CityWatch is a programme delivered by Auckland Council with co-funding from Heart of the City. The programme works to support a safe and inviting city centre environment in line with Auckland Council bylaws, including the Public Safety and Nuisance bylaw, in public places. The on-street CityWatch team focus on nuisance behaviour as well as monitoring busking, illegal dumping and damage to public assets.

Click here for more information about CityWatch and safety in the city centre >>

Link Alliance has an ongoing relationship with Fire & Emergency NZ, to ensure they are aware of site access changes and that emergency access is maintained at all times to all property.

Access to businesses and apartments is maintained
While the intersection is closed to through traffic, access to all businesses for customers and servicing is maintained. For any individual needs or questions, please email us at aotea@linkalliance.co.nz or call 0800 CRL TALK (select option 3).

Please click here for more information about how the Link Alliance is supporting businesses and residents, including through a new Small Business Support Programme >>

Access to carparks is maintained
Both Wilson Parking carparks on Durham Street West remain open (access via Queen Street and Durham Street West). The Atrium Carpark on Albert Street, and Wilson Parking Elliott Street carpark also remain open with access from Wellesley Street West. 

Rubbish and street cleaning
Rubbish pickups for businesses and residents will continue as normal. In some cases, your bins or bags may need to be placed in a slightly different location. We will directly advise those who may be affected, and our team is able to help support if required. 

Auckland Council continue to look after daily street cleaning in the area. This mainly takes place during the early hours of the morning and involves mechanically and manually sweeping the footpaths and streets, as well as emptying litter bins. A designated person with a hand-cart may also carry out spot-cleaning during the day.

Link Alliance will also install additional temporary public street bins at the intersection for general litter use.