Project: Auckland CBD rail loop

Plans for an underground rail loop from Britomart southward underneath the CBD to Mt Eden have been carried out by the government since the last year in September 2010. This plan is regarded as a critical enabler of transforming economic development for the new Super City and a key element of the rapid transit plan (Len Brown). The picture below shows the proposed Auckland CBD rail loop map:


It is showed in the map that the tunnel which run between Mt Eden and Britomart, takes in Khyber Pass road, Symonds St and K Rd, with the opportunity for three train station locations at Symonds St/Khyber Pass Rd; K Rd/Pitt St and on Albert St between Victoria and Wellesley Sts.

The plan is made in a primary purpose for dealing with the large number of people who travel into the CBD by using the public transport. According to NZHerald, it says currently almost 58,000 people travel into CBD for work and education every week day morning at peak, with almost 33,000 of them using public transport. And it is obvious that the number of travellers will increase within a few years in the future.

The photo below shows that the proposed rail loop will ultimately be linked with the existing public transport network:



CBD rail loop with the four proposed stations



Reference:

APN Holdings NZ Limited, (2010) Project Auckland: Rail loop plans underway at last, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/economy/news/article.cfm?c_id=34&objectid=10673135, (accessed: 02/05/2011).