Kia ora <<First Name>>,

Over the next few weeks you will notice a lot of changes on site as we move toward the re-opening of the Wellesley Street / Albert Street intersection and the closure of the Victoria Street / Albert Street intersection. We can confirm that we are targeting Sunday 27 June for this intersection closure "switch" -- find out lots more about this below. 

While work toward re-opening Wellesley Street is currently our key focus, other activity across the site continues at pace. Beneath the Mayoral Drive area where the roof has been constructed we are continuing underground excavation (see photo above). In between SkyCity and Crowne Plaza on Albert Street we are continuing station wall construction, and in the section north of Victoria Street we have completed the first roof panel and now working on the second. 

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

Intersection closure switch - Sunday 27 June

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 with Albert Street will close to traffic. It is expected to reopen in 2023.

Since closing the Wellesley Street intersection, our team has moved hundreds of kilometres of underground utilities, built the station’s permanent walls and roof slabs at the intersection, and we are now preparing to re-open the road. Once the road has re-opened, station construction is able to continue beneath - this is called "top-down" construction and we have chosen this methodology to minimise traffic disruption in the city centre. 

The "switch" to the Victoria St / Albert St intersection allows us to continue upgrading and relocating underground utilities, so we can begin station structure construction in this area and ultimately complete streetscape improvements. During the closure, all businesses are still open and the intersection remains fully accessible to pedestrians. 

Find out more about the switch and what it means for you at the link below.
Wellesley & Victoria Sts intersection switch — City Rail Link

Next week, Auckland Transport will launch a "Better Way" public campaign with all details about bus and traffic changes in the area. For more information please visit AT.govt.nz/betterway 

Intersection closure switch - more information

Find out more about the intersection closure switch in this handy brochure that provides you with a range of information about this upcoming change in the midtown area. 

More detailed information for the local community about preparing for the intersection closure, what to expect, what it will look like, detailed loading zone information, and safety during the closure will be provided in our next update. We'll also continue our liaison on the ground with affected businesses and apartment buildings.

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 0800 CRL TALK (option 3). 

Download a copy of the brochure here

Upcoming night works and Queen's Birthday weekend works

In order to complete the pavement construction and lay asphalt on Wellesley Street, we are planning to work overnight on some days during June. Working overnight allows us to complete pavement work safety by ensuring pedestrians are clear from the carriageway during sealing works. 

Exact days for the overnight works are still to be confirmed - once they are we will notify affected residents and businesses in the area. At times there will be some overnight noise, which will be mitigated where possible using noise mats and opting for quieter machinery. 

New small business support programme launching soon

We are pleased to advise that a new Small Business Support Programme has been developed for small businesses in the Aotea Station and Karangahape Station communities. This programme has been developed with the support of the business associations – Heart of the City and Karangahape Road Business Association.

For the Aotea community, the programme has been launched to coincide with the closure of the Victoria St / Albert St intersection, but is available to all small businesses within the Aotea Station construction area (Mayoral Drive to Wyndham Street). 

Over the next few weeks, eligible businesses will hear from an external business engagement specialist, William Keung, who is a familiar face to some in the community already. William’s role is to provide accessible, independent advice to the Aotea Station business community, working closely with business owners to identify their needs and to provide individualised support and services that might benefit them.

As part of the programme, William will discuss options to access specialist services – focusing on business continuity, digital marketing, wellbeing and events. These specialist services will be funded by Link Alliance up to the value of $2000 per annum.

Further details will be announced in mid-June.

Activate Aotea events programme

We also wanted to let you know about some of the upcoming events happening in the neighbourhood. Each month the Activate Aotea programme will showcase some exciting arts & culture, culinary & sustainability events and activations, with a strong focus on providing new opportunities for local businesses and event operators.
 
This month we’ve supported Heart of the City’s Cheap and Cheerful Eats campaign, purchasing restaurant vouchers from Bonz Cajun, Chawlas Indian, and Little Yum, for Link Alliance workers to enjoy local cuisine. We’ve also continued with our very popular public site tours. Over the next few months you’ll see the arrival of a community compost system and sustainability workshops, as well as a new jazz night at the wonderful Tony's Lord Nelson Restaurant on Victoria Street.
 
We’d like to work with the local community on these events, so please get in touch with us if you’d like to be involved.