KiwiRail has announced a major upgrade project for rail lines across Auckland to help future-proof the network and prepare for more frequent commuter trains when the City Rail Link (CRL) opens.
The 330 million NZD (188 million USD) Rail Network Rebuild will require sections of the city’s network to temporarily close so that the rock foundations under the tracks can be removed and rebuilt.
The work will start in early 2023 with the section of the Southern Line between Ōtāhuhu and Newmarket and the Onehunga Line and will then move progressively across the Auckland passenger rail line.
“CRL will allow more commuter services, not just in Central Auckland but across the city. However, for that to happen we need to make sure the existing rail lines can physically handle that growth.
“Like roads, rail lines wear out from use. We’ve been undertaking routine maintenance and replacing worn out track and sleepers and we’re now moving on to something more fundamental.
“Replacing the railway foundations will remove the growing number of speed restrictions that have been placed on the network in recent years and make it much more resilient. For Aucklanders it will mean more reliable trains, faster journey times, and is crucial to enabling the more frequent trains to come with CRL day one.”
The majority of the Rail Network Rebuild is expected to be finished before CRL construction concludes at the end of 2024.
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