Road and rail projects are back up and running around the country under level 3 and will play a key role in driving economic recovery following the lockdown.
It involves more than 1000 workers on major jobs such as the Kaikōura rebuild, Wellington metro upgrades, Auckland’s City Rail Link (New Zealand’s largest infrastructure project), and almost all KiwiRail projects.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has approved restart plans on 25 of the 44 state highway projects in the construction phase around the country, including Transmission Gully and Pūhoi to Warkworth. All state highway and rail projects are expected to have works restart on May 5.
Deputy prime minister Winston Peters says getting the infrastructure build underway as soon as possible is supporting workers and businesses and helping kick-start economic activity.
“We’ve worked hard to help cushion the blow from COVID-19 with initiatives like the wage subsidy and advance payments to transport contractors; and we know the industry is now raring to go.
“We’re putting our money where our mouth is and getting people back to work day one of alert level 3 so we can get money into the pockets of businesses and workers sooner,” Peters says.
Transport minister Phil Twyford says it’s been a real team effort getting projects ready to restart.
“I’d like to thank the industry, Waka Kotahi, City Rail Link Ltd and KiwiRail for their efforts which will see well over 1000 construction workers back on the job this week.
“For example, the Kaikōura rebuild will see around 450 road and rail workers back to work, City Rail Link expects 400 workers back this week, and Transmission Gully and Pūhoi to Warkworth will ramp back up to hundreds of workers at each.
“Major infrastructure projects like these and those contained in the New Zealand Upgrade programme will help provide much needed stimulus to the economy and guaranteed jobs.
“Moving to alert level 3 does not mean a return to pre-pandemic ways of working. Strict health and safety protocols are being followed at every site to keep workers and the public safe. These include restricting access to sites, requirements for workers to maintain physical distancing and the use of additional protective clothing.
“It’s too soon to say whether COVID-19 has had any effect on construction timeframes on individual projects. My expectation is that project teams will look at accelerating works where possible,” Twyford says.
|
Capital Projects/Upgrades |
When physical work resuming |
What work |
Staff numbers returning to work |
|
Wellington Metro Upgrades/Renewals:
|
From 28/4
From 28/4
From 4/5 |
Checking for buried services, drilling and pouring foundations, standing masts, Melling Line rewiring and Melling Junction rewiring
Site preparation, earthworks (off line – trains running)
Site investigations, including digging test pits in preparation for later works
|
40, increasing to 70 (during blocks of line) after second week
10 in first week, rising to 20
Less than 5 |
|
Main North Line – Kaikoura rebuild (NCTIR – KiwiRail and NZTA)
Additional Kaikoura projects:
|
Progressively over the week starting 28/4
From 28/4
From 28/4 |
Road and rail – 42 sites on MNL and highways
Track works
Tunnel 21 bypass |
Approx. 450 (across rail and road) returning to work or re-mobilising
16
50-60 |
|
City Rail Link |
From 28/4 |
Construction works |
200 ramping up to 400 over the week |
|
Transmission Gully |
From 28/4 |
Construction works |
Ramping up to approx. 650 by next week |
|
Pūhoi to Warkworth |
From 28/4 |
Construction works |
Ramping up to approx. 400 by next week |
|
Northland Rail revitalisation (PGF) |
From 4/5 |
Rail transfer |
10 |
|
Hamilton – Auckland commuter service
|
From 28/4
From 28/4 |
Work on Te Rapa Passenger Carriage Maintenance facility
Surveying for wash system and stabling works preparation at Westfield (South Auckland) |
30
2-4 |
|
Bridge 190 (Main South Line) |
From 28/4 |
Bridge works |
10 |
|
Bridge 91 (East Coast Main Trunk line) |
From 28/4 |
Bridge works |
10 |
|
Bridge 105 (ECMT) |
From 28/4 |
Bridge works |
10 |
|
Bridge 13 (Main North Line) |
From 28/4 |
Bridge works |
10 |
|
Bridge 229 (North Island Main Trunk Line) |
From 28/4 |
Bridge works |
10 |
|
Waimiha slip repair (NIMT) |
From 28/4 |
Bridge works |
10 |
|
Woburn Workshops Upgrades:
|
From 28/4
From 28/4 |
Seismic strengthening works
Continuing site investigations |
20-30
2-4 |
|
Waltham Scenic Journey Service Centre |
From 28/4 |
Construction works |
10-15 |
|
Palmerston North Drop Pit |
From 28/4 |
Construction works |
2-4 |
