City Rail Link

WSP is one of seven companies that make up the Link Alliance, delivering City Rail Link (CRL) - New Zealand’s first completely underground railway line and the first major New Zealand infrastructure project to make an entirely new, comprehensive shift to a digital approach with Building Information Modelling (BIM).

Location

Auckland, New Zealand

Client

City Rail Link Limited

Project Value

$4.419 billion

Project Status

In progress – completion 2024

Innovating for efficiency

The Alliance design partners WSP, Tonkin & Taylor and AECOM are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible using BIM on linear infrastructure improving the efficiency and reducing risk on the project, and at the same time enabling greater visibility of the overall project design.

The Link Alliance is constantly innovating and authoring digital processes that haven't been created before. CRL is providing the opportunity for the Link Alliance to shape how future large infrastructure projects are delivered in New Zealand and around the world.

Daniel Jurgens, Technical Director - Digital Engineering

Key facts

CRL is a 3.45km twin-tunnel underground rail link up to 42 metres below the Auckland city centre that will transform the downtown Britomart Transport Centre into a two-way through-station better connecting the Auckland rail network.
CRL will improve travel options and journey times and double the number of Aucklanders within 30 minutes travel of the city centre.
Britomart will no longer be a "dead end" station but a through station, efficiently connecting more of Auckland to the city.

Delivering unique value

The project-specific Revit API tools—"LKA Express Suite”— allowed the project team to create a custom interface for data processing and documentation automation and computational design/modelling such as tunnel services, saving 3000 hours in design time.
The project team is aiming for an Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) rating of 15% reduction in embodied carbon, 25% reduction in energy CO2 emissions, and reduced waste to landfill and construction/operational water use.