Aotea Station - Community Liaison Group Meeting - Minutes – August 2021 DATE
Thursday, 26 August 2021
TIME
4.00pm – 5.20pm
LOCATION
Online via Microsoft Teams
MEETING
Aotea Station Community Liaison Group Meeting
ATTENDEES
Link Alliance presenters: Shaun Sutton – Community Manager Matt Sinclair – Aotea Station Manager Patrick Gibbs – Senior Project Engineer Auckland Transport: James Wickham, Transport Operations Continuity Manager, Alliances
Agenda • Introductions • Overview of Aotea Station progress and COVID update (Matt Sinclair , Station Manager, Link Alliance) • Programme of Victoria St works and construction mitigations (Patrick Gibbs, Senior Project Engineer, Link Alliance) • Overview of issues raised and feedback to community (Shaun Sutton, Community Manager, Link Alliance) • Update from Auckland Transport (James Wickham, Transport Operations Continuity Manager) • Feedback and Q&A Presentations and Video Recording Presentations from Link Alliance and Auckland Transport are published with these minutes. The full video recording from the CLG is also available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F9I8BTFdtXUtbKDu-TYry-mn5MVj3vQa/view?usp=sharing Please note this is a large file and may take a few minutes to load.
Questions/feedback to Link Alliance following presentation •
Why do contractors keep going back to the same spot for further works even after they finished works several weeks ago? In other words, why are all works in one area not completed at one time? (Example near entrance to the old Mai Tai) - Utility networks involve multiple providers who own their individual infrastructure and control different aspects of the work such as cutover timing. Each utility is completed from point A right through to point B; these start and end points are also different for every utility. Utilities also cannot be removed until a new line or cutover has been installed bypassing the redundant line. So instead of opening one area of site and completing all the utility installations and removals in that area, we instead have to complete each utility line at a time – which results in crews having to go back to different locations on site for each utility upgrade, removal, or relocation.
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What time frame is expected for utility works to be finished on Victoria Street? Why weren’t all utility works completed during the early works that happened several years ago? - Most of the heavy utility works were almost complete before lockdown, with the team about to hand over to station structure construction. However, utility works will be ongoing until the project completion. - The early works sometimes known as the “pipe jack” works were completed pre existence of CRLL. They are known as “enabling works” that were part of a separate contract that enabled the project to begin and make progress while further design and project setup work took place.
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The smell generated from utility works has had an impact on food businesses especially, when is this work expected to finish? - The main cause of the odours around site is the deep sewer line works which we have completed as much as possible prior to lockdown. - There is also a wastewater line that was scheduled for completion by end of August, this is not expected to cause the same level of odour disruption as the sewer line works. Due to the Covid restrictions at level 3 and 2 (such as maintaining work bubbles and practicing social distancing where possible) these works are expected to take a little longer to complete (Approx. 2-3 weeks after works resume).
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Once the roof structure is complete on Albert Street (between Wyndham and Victoria) can the road be opened back up? - The road will not be able to be opened up fully to vehicles once the current roof slabs are complete. The roof slabs currently being completed only continue from Victoria up to Kingston Street, the rest of Albert Street up to Wyndham Street is being completed using bottom up methodology which means there will be an open trench while underground excavation continues.
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There are still concerns with E-scooters and E-bikes around the construction site creating a hazardous environment for pedestrians. - We have been working with the providers of the E-scooters and E-bikes to implement what is called Geo-fencing. This is where the scooters cannot be parked (or users sign off) within a certain area, in this case through the construction site. - (Response from AT) There is still a concern sharing a footpath with e-scooters, bikes and pedestrians. AT have worked with providers to relocate parking areas away from the construction zone. It is every individual’s responsibility to ride appropriately through the site,
with the Link Alliance team looking to maintain line of site and wide footpaths where possible within the constraints of the construction. •
Loading zone locations are too far for some businesses. Can these be changed? - The loading zones have been set up as close to site as possible without causing further health & safety concerns with delivery trucks entering site. We have worked to increase loading zones in the area and are working with a few businesses who have further requirements around large deliveries.
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When will business signs go up around site? - The second round of business signs went up on site just before lockdown, and further business signage is in the progress of being designed (such as scrim).
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Was the small business support programme designed in consultation with the businesses themselves? - The Small Business Support Programme was designed in close consultation with both Heart of the City and Karangahape Business Association as a continuation of a previously successful programme. While this programme is still early in its release we have received generally positive feedback with almost half of the businesses taking it up so far. We are open to continuing the conversation with participants and the business association to continue to improve the programme as it continues.
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Has the current level 4 lockdown affected the timing for CRL completion; is 2024 still a reasonable estimate? And will works resume at level 3? - The CRL project is planned to be completed in late 2024. The lockdown will have a significant impact on the project. This impact will not be able to be fully quantified until sometime after the lockdown ends. - The team is currently planning for works to recommence safely within alert level 3 restrictions.
Questions/feedback to Auckland Transport following presentation •
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Would be good to understand how current numbers compare to earlier patronage or future capacity on the bus network? - If compared to pre-Covid numbers then the stats taken in July 2021 with the reopening of Wellesley Street are almost back to those higher numbers (at least 95%). - Future capacity can be extended via more buses, however trains provide approx. 1600 passengers per train while buses are limited to approx. 80 passengers for buses with standing capacity. This is a big reason why the CRL is important to limit additional buses creating further congestion. Bus lanes on Wellesley Street is of concern for vehicles turning left onto Queen Street. (have to “weave” past two bus lanes) - The current lane configuration is using temporary infrastructure - it is not an ideal configuration and will be reviewed and simplified as part of the permanent lane design for the area at the end of the project.