Porters Ave Bridge Development

The structure for the Porters Ave bridge, that will eventually hold the “brains” of the rail network, began emerging from the ground just before the latest lockdown as part of the Mt Eden Station works. 

What can currently be seen for those who live, or commute locally is the abutment - a substructure at the ends of the bridge span that supports the superstructure – which is now complete.

The Porters Ave bridge, once constructed, will allow people to cross over the railway line safely and it will also hold the all-important signal room.

The signal room will house the signalling equipment i.e. sensors, alarms required for controlling train movements and will send information back to the KiwiRail and Auckland Transport control rooms.

This 3x8 metre concrete box will have a pitched roof and will be hidden beneath the stairs of the bridge and behind steel panelling. 

Although a simple structure, the signal room is a key milestone for Operation Configuration 2.2 (OC2.2).

We are currently in stage OC2.2, meaning there is a single train line on the southern side of the rail corridor. This runs from Mt Eden prison to the western end of the project, near the Dominion Road overbridge.
 
Over the upcoming Christmas block of line, when the trains are not running, our teams will be migrating the signalling equipment from the southern side of the rail corridor to the northern side. This will allow trains to run on the newly installed northern track and OC 3.1 will then commence.
 
Once fully operational, the existing up-main southern-side track will be removed, and the grade separation trench excavation will begin.