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Work ongoing in CRL tunnels

CRL under Auckland city

As tunnel boring machine (TBM) Dame Whina Cooper makes its way  beneath Auckland towards Te Wai Horotiu Station (Aotea), work is well underway preparing the entrance to Beresford Square entrance to Karanga a Hape (Karanghape) Station.

The work at the new station site involves the construction of utility rooms, access ways, and a derailment wall – designed to protect commuters from unlikely rail accidents.

Dr Sean Sweeney, CRL’s Chief Executive, has said that the massive transport infrastructure project will be a massive game changer with regards to the city’s commuter capacity.

“When complete, the CRL will be able to carry that Eden Park crowd to the CBD in less than 10 minutes and the waterfront in 12 minutes,” said Sweeney.

The TBM being used for the project is an earth pressure balance (EPB) machine. It is designed to maintain consistent pressure at the tunnel face, equal to the pressure of the ground it is excavating. This consistent pressure stabilises the surrounding earth, removing he risk of movement in the ground above and around it.

The tunnelling is expected to be completed later this year, and will mark a huge milestone for the CRL project, and the future of Auckland’s transport infrastructure.

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