Construction of Auckland's City Rail Link came one step closer to completion today, with a tunnel now dug from Mount Eden to the CBD.
Tunnel boring machine's breakthrough at City Rail Link’s Aotea Station in Auckland’s CBD. Photo: Supplied / City Rail Link
Officials gathered as the tunnel boring machine dubbed Dame Whina Cooper broke through into the Aotea Station, one of the stops along the route that will finish at the main Britomart Station.
Mayor Phil Goff was pleased to see progress made on the project, which he called a game changer for transport in and out of the city.
"While we continue to face challenges due to the pandemic, we are making good progress on delivering this essential infrastructure," Goff said.
City Rail Link chief executive Sean Sweeney said he was proud they had completed their goal to finish this phase, which started in May, before Christmas.
"It's been a hard year but a better rail network for an international city like Auckland is getting closer," Sweeney said.
"It gives us great confidence going into the second half of the project next year."
Some of the progress on the project this year included connecting Aotea to the Albert Street section of tunnels, mining New Zealand's deepest station at Karangahape, and re-locating the huge Huia 2 watermain at Mt Eden.
Sweeney said next year they would have a better idea of the disruption caused by the pandemic to the construction timetable and costs.
The naming of the machine after Dame Whina is said to be part of a mining tradition in which a woman of significance is recognised.
Her son, Joseph, said the breakthrough reflected the impact she made on Māori and all people living in New Zealand/Aotearoa.
"Kite matau nga iwi te kopura marama i tera moka o Te Kauhanga Raro - we the people can see the light at the end of the underground sacred passageway."
The Dame Whina Cooper boring machine will be headed for a second drive to Aotea next year.