Wakefield Street Wastewater Rising Main – Stage 2

As of this morning, crews have begun works at the Wakefield Street slip lane by the New World dock way and Oriental Parade/Kent Terrace. 

The purpose of these works is to complete two final stages of this project: connecting the new rising main into the original Oriental Parade/Kent Terrace rising main, and connecting the Chaffers Street pump station into the new Wakefield Street rising main. 

The slip lane will be closed 24/7 for around four weeks. 

We understand the closure of the slip lane can be an inconvenience. We appreciate everyone's patience and support while we work to finish this  critical part of our CBD wastewater upgrade programme. 

Our crew has successfully completed a pipe ram, or trenchless method of laying pipe, underneath Tory Street at the intersection with Wakefield Street, laying 30 meters of pipe underground while traffic continued to flow as normal. 

This new section will soon be connected to the 150-meter pipe laid during Stage 1.

Works were more complicated than expected due to a clash of underground services which meant that our crews needed to dig deeper into the ground, and for longer, than previously expected -- approximately 4 meters down at about 1.5 meters below sea level. 

Our crews have done a great job to contend with sea water on top of the challenges of doing this work in a busy part of the CBD. 

With this key part of the project almost complete, works will soon be moving back to the slip lane by the New World dock way and Oriental Parade/Kent Terrace.

This work will require the slip lane to be closed 24/7 for around four weeks. 

Meanwhile, traffic management will remain in place in the northern section between Tory and Chaffers streets while we complete the connection to the stage 1 pipe and reinstate the road surface.

After approximately 11 weeks on the job, we’re running ahead of schedule with this critical part of our CBD wastewater upgrade programme, building the resilience and capacity of city’s wastewater network.

With significant progress on Wakefield Street this week, the crew have been able to reopen Chaffers Street to two lane traffic, to reopen the slip lane and  remove the cones outside Downstage. This is great news - however, we will need to close these areas again to complete further works as outlined below.

Over the next month the work will be focused at the northern end of Wakefield Street. The crew have just started excavating on the northern side of Tory Street for the launch pit to 'pipe ram' (trenchless pipe laying) under Tory Street allowing traffic to flow over the top.

There is also still some work to be completed at the southern end of Wakefield Street, which will  require the area t be closed again. Pipe joints for this work are currently being fabricated offsite, so we are yet to confirm timing for this work. The cones outside Downstage will need to be reinstated when the slip lane is closed again.

Additionally, Chaffers Street will  need to be closed again in the future to lay the pipe that will connect into the pump station. That is a few months away.

As always thankyou everyone for your patience as we complete this important project to improve the resilience and capacity of our city's wastewater network.

Our team is making great progress on the new Wakefield Street rising main.

After just seven weeks on the job, the team has already laid 150m of rising main (a pipe that carries wastewater under pressure) and four valve chambers in the initial section between Tory Street and Chaffers Street.

Using trenchless technology, they have also installed 16m of pipe underneath the New World dock way without disrupting deliveries.

Coming up, the team will be pressure testing the pipe laid so far and completing reinstatement and asphalting of the road.

As this progresses, the worksite will move further down toward Tory Street, and we expect the intersection between Chaffers Street and Wakefield Street to reopen mid-March. The crew will be doing a trenchless crossing of the Tory Street intersection with Wakefield Street to avoid traffic disruption.

We are also on track to reopen the slip lane that runs from Kent Terrace/Oriental Parade onto Chaffers Street by mid-March or when it’s safe to do so. Please take detours via Tory Street.

We know the roadworks and traffic disruptions are frustrating, but the good news is that we are making exceptional progress on this is a key project to improve the resilience of the wastewater network and support our city’s growth.

Works are tracking well at the Wakefield Street Rising Main site.

We're now laying the pipe from the new manhole towards Kent Terrace/Oriental Parade and setting up work for the pipe ram under the New World dockway.

The initial section between Tory Street and Chaffers Street, Wakefield Street has been reduced to one lane. The intersection between Chaffers Street and Wakefield Street remains closed until the site moves further down.

Starting tomorrow, the slip lane that runs from Kent Terrace/Oriental Parade onto Chaffers Street will be closed for these works. We expect the slip lane to be reopened by mid-March or when it’s safe to do so. Please take detours via Tory Street.

We know roadworks can be frustrating, especially on one of the busiest streets in Wellington. But building a new wastewater rising main (a pipe that carries wastewater under pressure) is a key project to increase the resilience of the network and support the city’s growth.

Please plan ahead of your travels and allow for extra time when commuting. This is a complex project in a busy part of the city so we appreciate the community’s patience and understanding.

For the safety of our workers, drivers and pedestrian, we appreciate if traffic management and site fences remain in place and undisturbed.

Works are progressing well on site, with crews constructing the first manhole and preparing to lay the first section of pipe. 

Due to the location of the manhole, Chaffers Street is closed, but drivers can still access the Chaffers Street entrance to New World via the Tory Street detour.

Meanwhile, we have been carrying out traffic management trials to see how we can better manage peak traffic. Wellington City Council is happy for the slip lane that runs from Kent Terrace/Oriental Parade onto Chaffers  Street to be reopened. They are also working on rephasing the traffic lights at Courtenay Place to better manage the build of cars at peak times. The slip lane will be re-closed for the day on 4 February.

In the next week crews will start laying the pipe from the new manhole towards Kent Terrace/Oriental Parade.  Once that’s done, we will set up a trenchless approach to go under the exit to the New World dockway. 

This is a complex project in a congested part of the city so we appreciate the community’s patience and understanding. We also ask that the traffic management and site fences are not interfered with as this creates a hazard for workers, drivers and pedestrians.