Greenlight for CRL
The City Rail Link project took huge strides forward recently with some big decisions made about funding, the preferred bidder for our C3 contract, and an expansive programme of early works.
Momentum is being maintained on the project as we announced the preferred bidder for the main C3 contract to build the stations and the longest stretch of the two tunnels. We also confirmed a revised cost envelope which Auckland Council has confirmed it will fund its share of. In order to continue at pace we’ve already entered into an Early Works Contract with the preferred bidder.
“It’s been a breath-taking few weeks – the result of a lot of hard work and careful planning – and we’re now in very good shape to get cracking to have this project finished in 2024,” says CRL Ltd’s Chief Executive Dr Sean Sweeney.
In mid-April Dr Sweeney shared with Aucklanders three critical developments that will have a huge impact on the project and the way they travel around their city:
A revised cost envelope for completing the project totalling $4.4 billion
Naming the preferred bidder for the C3 contract and
A $75 million Early Works Contract
Dr Sweeney says the revised costs - $1 billion more than the 2014 estimate - followed a comprehensive review of project costs, changes to the project’s scope and having to operate in a competitive construction environment.
“Put together, they have all helped add costs to the project overall,” Dr Sweeney says. “Keeping a growing city moving like ours is a serious challenge.”
A group of New Zealand and international companies known as the Link Alliance was named preferred bidder for the C3 Contract. CRL Ltd and the Link Alliance are negotiating the Early Works Contract worth $75 million – “to keep project momentum going,” Dr Sweeney says – while they finalise the C3 contract with the first stage of tunnel and station work planned for later this year.
