A $600 million upgrade of Auckland’s rail network and electrification is well underway with the opening of Newmarket’s new station marking a major milestone.
- Location: Auckland
- Started: Dec 2007
- Cost: $47,000,000
- Product: GAP65 and CTB
- Completed: Dec 2010
- Contractor: Hawkins Infrastructure
Auckland public transport soon to be back on the rails
A collaboration between ONTRACK and ARTA, the Newmarket rail upgrade began in 2007 and from the outset was a significant infrastructure improvement project. With rail use up by 97%, more frequent rail services were required and being located at the junction of three rail routes, Newmarket station had formed a bottleneck, preventing any increase in service.
Requiring major track reorganisation, the project was dubbed the most challenging of the entire Auckland upgrade. ONTRACK funded approximately $45 million to change the layout; three new bridges were constructed and the new station now has twin island platforms (built up with Hunua Cement Treated Basecourse and GAP65), with three tracks.
As Auckland