Waitematā Station (Britomart) newsletter - June 2022

Waitematā Station (Britomart) Works Newsletter

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23 June 2022

Waitematā Station (Britomart) Newsletter

Kia ora koutou,

This month's newsletter features:

Stakeholder survey winner
Britomart Place works
Link Alliance works around the station
Galway Street works
Meet the team - Maria
Chief Post Office lights up for Matariki

Stakeholder survey winner

Thank you to everyone who completed the Quarter 2 2022 stakeholder survey for Link Alliance.

The team are proud of the results and are determined to maintain high standards and go the extra mile where they can to help minimise any disruption. All feedback shared is valued and appreciated.

Congrats to the winner of the $100 Britomart Black Gift Card!

Britomart Place works

This month hydro-excavation works were completed and it was revealed that a gas main was in the way of the planned works area The team are now working to relocate the gas main so that works can be completed safely.

Other services (such as water supply) that are being left in-situ will be protected from any accidental damage during construction. Chorus were also working on site this month to repair a blocked and broken duct and to relocate cables (see image below).

The team worked underground over Queen's Birthday weekend when the rail line was closed. At the moment the team are planning the installation of jacks between the existing south wall and the tunnel roof. A new wall and removal of the old wall is required to widen the tunnel for future trains.

The Martinus Rail NZ team inspecting the existing north wall and tunnel roof (just below the Britomart Place and Scene Lane intersection).

The jacks will support the weight of the roof while a new wall is constructed. Over this year's Christmas period, the roof will be lowered back onto a new north wall and then the jacks and existing north wall will be able to be removed.

Looking east along the tunnel, with the safe work space in the foreground sectioned off from the live railway to enable work during the daytime when trains are still running.

Upcoming works in Britomart Place (June - July 2022):

Relocation of a gas main and Chorus cables to enable works to progress.
Excavation of the main work area to access the tunnel roof (adjacent to the Scene One building) – will commence early July. There will be temporary shoring installed inside the excavation.
Piling adjacent to the Scene One building. The hole will be excavated which will be noisy at times. Teams will limit this as much as they can.
Beam strengthening will now start early July. This will be noisy at times as workers drill into the existing concrete beams to attach anchor bars for the new reinforcement to connect onto.

We are very conscious of our neighbours nearby and will limit noise and disruption as much as practicable. Thank you in advance for your patience.

Looking west towards Waitematā Station (Britomart).

Link Alliance works around the station

Covid-19 and lockdowns sometimes seem a distant memory but the ramifications of constructing City Rail Link through a pandemic linger. Due to external supply issues regarding scaffold, the start time of the anticipated smoke curtain within Waitematā Station (Britomart) was delayed.

However, all hands were on deck earlier this month to ensure the safe and seamless arrival of the scaffold into the station as suppliers were finally able to bring it to site.

The scaffold was delivered into the station via an opening in the "glasshouse" at street level. Now that the scaffold has arrived it will be assembled at platform level at the bottom of the station’s escalators. Much of this work is required to be done at night when the station is not being used by commuters.

The scaffold is needed to construct a smoke curtain for health and safety reasons. The smoke curtain will be made of glass and steel and be attached to the station's roof.

Waitematā Station (Britomart) is already health and safety compliant but is is expected that there will be a larger number of people using the station once City Rail Link is operational. If a fire was to occur in the station the curtain would capture smoke helping more people exit the station safely via the emergency stairs.

Although Link Alliance’s presence will get more visible inside the station building, the team will continue to do their best to keep noise and any disruption to a minimum.

Galway Street works

Auckland Council is ready to upgrade the final section of Galway Street (between Te Komititanga and Commerce Street) which will complete the transformation of Galway from a road corridor to a high-quality pedestrian focused street.

It will connect Te Komititanga to Britomart and Takutai Square, through an attractive new laneway. The works are commencing end of June and are targeted for completion end of 2022.

The image below of the completed section of Galway Street gives people a glimpse of what this section will look like when it is finished.

To find out more and read the commencement notice visit https://progressakl.co.nz/projects/galway-street-upgrade/. This page will be updated regularly throughout construction.

For any questions about this project please contact Auckland Council Project Manager Dave Woodward, at dave.woodward@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Meet the team - Maria

At Britomart Place, the traffic management is set up to ensure both vehicle and pedestrians are kept safe through out the work area. We have a team on hand during busy times to ensure pedestrians and cyclists in particular can safely cross Britomart Place.

One of the team members is the wonderfully cheerful Maria Maeata who some of you may have already met as you pass by.

Maria says “I pray every morning for everyone to not have an accident and be safe, and for good weather!” Please feel free to say hi to Maria if you see her.

Chief Post Office lights up for Matariki

Celebrate Matariki with Pakiata Matariki in Te Komititanga, presented by Heart of the City, Auckland Council, Britomart and Commercial Bay.

The headline attraction for Matariki Ki Te Manawa, Pakiata Matariki is a large scale projected light show that will illuminate the entire Chief Post Office building in downtown Auckland, spanning 55 metres wide and 32 metres high.

Come together each evening to celebrate the first indigenous public holiday in the world.

Pakiata Matariki in Te Komititanga will run frequently from 6pm to 9pm daily from 24 June until 16 July. Shows run every 15 minutes.

Find out more
For information about Britomart and Quay Park Yard work click here.

How to contact the wider Waitematā Station (Britomart) team:
If you have any questions or concerns about our works, please email the Waitematā Station (Britomart) team at info@cityraillink.govt.nz or phone us on
0800 CRL TALK (275 8255) and press option 1 for Waitematā Station (Britomart) work.

Official use of gifted City Rail Link station names, including Waitematā Station, is subject to a New Zealand Geographic Board decision. Visit www.cityraillink.co.nz/meet-your-stations to find out more about the naming process.

Ngā mihi nui
The Waitematā Station (Britomart) Team