KiwiRail, NZ Transport Agency and North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) have won an international prize for work following the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake.
The organisations were awarded the Civil Engineers People’s Choice Award 2018 as a result of their outstanding work to repair and reopen State Highway One and the Main North Line.
The were among 10 finalists for the prestigious international award including city railways in India, innovative British windfarms and a huge river bridge project in Scotland.
KiwiRail acting chief executive Todd Moyle says the prize is testament to Kiwi ingenuity and engineering excellence.
“The rebuild of the Main North Line railway and State Highway One following the Kaikoura earthquake has achieved global recognition.
“This is an amazing win for New Zealand and highlights this country’s expertise in civil engineering and earthquake recovery.
“We’re known as masters of number eight wire thinking, but we’ve taken that attitude and turned it into engineering excellence recognised around the world.
“KiwiRail, our partners NZTA and the NCTIR alliance brought together the best civil engineering and construction capability in New Zealand to deliver what was a massively complex project.
“This award is for everyone who worked on that project, and the communities who supported us over the two years it took,” Moyle says.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is a professional membership body for civil engineers worldwide who work across government and industry. This year is the first year the award has been open to entrants from outside the UK, to mark ICE’s bicentenary.
