Works update

Kia ora neighbours,

We hope that you and your loved ones are safe and well as we prepare to move to Level 3.

The Karangahape Station site, along with all City Rail Link sites, will return to work with strict health and safety precautions in place to keep us safe. 

At this stage it is difficult to gauge the full impact that lockdown will have had on the project's programme, but we are are eager to get back to work and keen to make up for lost time. 

At Alert Level 3, there are restrictions to keep workers safe, limit interaction and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Our office staff will continue to primarily work from home.

Our personnel who come to work both in the office and site will adhere to strict measures of physical distancing and avoiding contact, wearing masks and having extra hygiene measures in place.  

We are conscious that this is an uncertain time for businesses and residents and we will endeavour to minimise the impacts of our work. 

In this update we will provide you with the plans to resume work on the construction in Beresford Square, Mercury Lane and the mined tunnels; and an update on the progress of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).

We have also added a section on site safety so you can feel confident that we are adhering to strict rules to ensure our crew and our community are safe.

Ngā mihi, 

Karangahape Station Team

Safety is our main priority

Returning to site involves comprehensive plans for each location to ensure safe during the Covid-19 Alert Levels.

The plans detail prioritisation of the work and people required to carry it out and the critical site materials,  additional PPE and other resources required.

We hold site meetings and crew briefings every morning (staggered under L3 to reduce bubble sizes) and remind the workforce regularly about the safety measures we are implementing aimed at protecting them, their colleagues, their families and the wider public. 

In addition, all personnel accessing any part of the site or office areas will undergo a health screening process which includes a declaration and temperature checking.

We have created construction work bubbles that are made up of the team / crew that people will be working with (in relative, close proximity) while on site / in the office. We will minimise the movement between bubbles.

Each bubble or group of bubbles will have a toilet and smoko area. For a group of bubbles, we will stagger their smoko and lunch breaks.

We have increased the frequency of cleaning for all toilets and smoko areas. Also we will have sanitary wipe down of our plant contact areas.

Under levels 3 and 4 wherever possible workers should refrain from using public transport and travel to and from site alone, using their own transport. If they must use public transport they are to maintain a minimum distance of 2-metres from others and wear a mask as mandated at level 2 and above. 

Progress in Mercury Lane

When we left for lockdown we had reached a major milestone as we broke through from the station box to the tunnel.  

With access now available from both the station box and the mined tunnel shaft, resources can be shared between the teams to excavate the remaining 14,000m3 of rock required for the station box. 

Mined Tunnels

A major milestone before lockdown was the completion of the excavation on the southbound tunnel closest to Mercury Lane.  Upon our return we will resume work on the northbound tunnel closer to East Street. 

The completed tunnel is seen as the green section in the image below.  The blinding (temporary concrete floor) is on the ground and 100% ready for the arrival of the TBM rails.    

Safety measures for Mercury Lane and the mined tunnels

• All personnel accessing the Mined Tunnels will arrive to the Mercury Lane main entry at staggered start times​
• The crews working in the Mercury Lane Building area will go through the East Street entrance to avoid contact with the Mined Tunnel team
• They will have separate smoko areas for the same reason
• A gate person will be stationed at each of these locations at all times and they will be briefed on non-contact temperature taking 
• Persons will queue at 2 metre distances while the gate person is signing each person into the site​
• There is mandatory sign-in to Government COVID Tracer app and to the Link Alliance SecurePass app​
• All rooms will contain max occupant numbers and physical distancing markers will be placed on tables and floors​.

Tunnel Boring Machine

The 130-metre Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) named after Dame Whina Cooper was kept gradually moving towards Karangahape Station during lockdown.

TBMs are not designed to be ‘parked’ underground for an open-ended period of time - they need to keep moving forward, even at reduced capacity - to avoid the risk of getting stuck.

The TBM worked at a much lower level than full capacity - doing the minimum / as necessary work - that fell within the parameters of the  Covid-19 Public Health Response Order.   
 
This low-level operation removed the risk of pressure from earth settling around a stationary TBM and ‘trapping’ the machine.  

Check on the photos for an explanation of each and you can follow the TBM progress at https://www.digcrl.co.nz/

Progress in Beresford Square

When we left for lockdown, we had reached a key milestones for the Beresford Square entrance - the first of two concrete pours for the B2 level and we had started the excavation from B2 to B3 - which we will now resume.

Repair work on the pipe at Samoa House Lane has resumed at level 4 under emergency provisions as advised by Watercare.  

Prior to the lockdown we had anticipated the work to be complete this September but now expect completion by November.    

Safety measures in Beresford Square

• All personnel accessing Beresford Square will arrive to the Beresford Square main entry at staggered start times​
• A gate person will be stationed at this location at all times and  be briefed on non-contact temperature taking
• Persons will queue at 2 meter distances while the gate person is signing each person into the site​​
• There is mandatory sign-in to Government COVID Tracer app and to the Link Alliance SecurePass app​
• The persons will then be given a sticker to indicate they have been signed in and proceed to the facilities for briefing/ pre-start​. This daily sticker will facilitate the access to the site via Pitt Street.
• All rooms will contain max occupant numbers and physical distancing markers will be placed on tables and floors​.