North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery

Moving mountains

PROJECT: North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery CONTRACTOR: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency CLIENT: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, KiwiRail, Downer, Fulton Hogan, HEB, Higgins (NCTIR) VALUE: $1.2b

The 7.8 magnitude Kaikōura earthquake in 2016 devastated the transport networks connecting communities across North Canterbury.

Owners of the road and rail networks Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail came together for the first time in a collaborative model, setting up the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) Alliance – with four construction companies – Downer, Fulton Hogan, HEB Construction and Higgins. Suballiance partners were Aurecon, Tonkin + Taylor, and WSP.

The NCTIR Alliance moved mountains to reconnect communities, reopening road and rail networks by the end of 2017. Work then followed to leave a lasting legacy by creating a safer, more resilient network that will serve future generations.

Responding to the unique scale and complexity of construction challenges required new ways of thinking, and innovation was at the heart of the response.

Freight movements and public journeys are overall more reliable and resilient. A greater regional cultural narrative is honoured and showcased. Excellent safety statistics over the life of the project set a new industry benchmark.

The NCTIR Alliance was formed in late 2016 and 273 projects were completed by December 2020. An additional project – a rockfall protection canopy – was completed in 2021.