Tunnel mining changes to 24-hour operation in City Rail Link project

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Tunnel mining at City Rail Link’s Mt Eden site is switching to a 24-hour operation from Monday to Friday to maintain momentum on New Zealand's largest transport infrastructure project.

Twenty-four hour work at the tunnel portal site on the corner of Nikau St and Flower St starts on Thursday.

Mining will continue 24 hours Monday-to-Friday but Saturday mining hours are restricted to 7am-7pm.

Work will cease on Sundays and public holidays.

Link Alliance Project Director, Francois Dudouit, said measures are in place to reduce the impact the increased hours may have on the project’s residential and business neighbours.

Mining noise and vibration will be closely monitored by environmental experts, he said.

To mitigate noise, workers will place a curtain at the portal entrance to reduce noise and schedule noisier work to day shifts.

Lights used at night will be angled down directly onto the work site.

Dudouit said the increased hours are temporary and are necessary to complete a 51 metre-long entrance to the tunnel over the next four months.

The Link Alliance is building a cavern and trench which the TBM will use to start its journey underground into central Auckland.

The trench will later become the railway line connecting the City Rail Link with the Western Line at the redeveloped Mt Eden station.

Go to www.cityraillink.co.nz... for more information.

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