Most expensive rail project per mile?

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johno1234

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#317825 19-Nov-2024 08:34

CNN is calling the UK's HS2 project the world's most expensive rail project per mile at US$200mil per mile.

Britain is building one of the world’s most expensive railways

Pfft! Auckland's CRL is currently budgeted at NZ$5.5billion for 3.4km so I make that approximately US$1.5bil per mile.

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#3310536 19-Nov-2024 08:44

Can we also factor in the economic impact of the CRL, to show what it REALLY cost Auckland?

And by that, I mean the reduction in business, the business failures as a result of the ongoing debacle etc

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Asteros

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#3310537 19-Nov-2024 08:45

I agree the Auckland City Rail Link is probably the most expensive rail project per mile. I wonder why? The 18km Fehmarn Belt Road and Rail tunnel under the Baltic Sea between Germany and Denmark will cost $US8 Billion. Even if costs blow out it will be much cheaper than the Auckland project.

eracode

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#3310540 19-Nov-2024 09:01

Asteros:

I agree the Auckland City Rail Link is probably the most expensive rail project per mile. I wonder why?

Because NZ.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

johno1234

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#3310541 19-Nov-2024 09:01

Handsomedan:

Can we also factor in the economic impact of the CRL, to show what it REALLY cost Auckland?

And by that, I mean the reduction in business, the business failures as a result of the ongoing debacle etc

No sir, you are not going to tempt me down into that rabbit hole!

johno1234

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#3310542 19-Nov-2024 09:03

eracode:

Asteros:

I agree the Auckland City Rail Link is probably the most expensive rail project per mile. I wonder why?

Because NZ.

Indeed. I think the costs of hiring a digger or an engineer here are comparable to the ROW. However the planning, consenting and compliance overheads appear to be a crushing burden on infrastructure projects.

wellygary

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#3310554 19-Nov-2024 09:36

Asteros:

I agree the Auckland City Rail Link is probably the most expensive rail project per mile. I wonder why? The 18km Fehmarn Belt Road and Rail tunnel under the Baltic Sea between Germany and Denmark will cost $US8 Billion. Even if costs blow out it will be much cheaper than the Auckland project.

Although it's got competition across the ditch

Melbourne's 9km "metro" tunnel is costing $13.5 billion,AUD, that's ~$15 billion NZD for 9km, so that's on par with Auckland

Melbourne= $1.7B / km, Auckland is $1.6B/km

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/sep/26/melbourne-metro-tunnel-costs-launch-date-budget

gzt

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#3310557 19-Nov-2024 09:43

Asteros: I agree the Auckland City Rail Link is probably the most expensive rail project per mile. I wonder why? The 18km Fehmarn Belt Road and Rail tunnel under the Baltic Sea between Germany and Denmark will cost $US8 Billion.

Tunnels generally have one entry and one exit and that one is a relatively straight line. CRL has multiple passenger exits and follows contours in places.

Handsomedan

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#3310563 19-Nov-2024 10:02

gzt:

Asteros: I agree the Auckland City Rail Link is probably the most expensive rail project per mile. I wonder why? The 18km Fehmarn Belt Road and Rail tunnel under the Baltic Sea between Germany and Denmark will cost $US8 Billion.

Tunnels generally have one entry and one exit and that one is a relatively straight line. CRL has multiple passenger exits and follows contours in places.

I remember when I was a child and the CRL had just started - maybe 50 years ago? - They said that the "cut and cover" tunnel system they were using was the cheapest, quickest and most effective way of doing this.

Then they started boring holes in the bedrock. What ever happened to the "cut and cover" that they were originally supposed to be doing throughout the CBD?

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johno1234

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#3310565 19-Nov-2024 10:07

Handsomedan:

Then they started boring holes in the bedrock. What ever happened to the "cut and cover" that they were originally supposed to be doing throughout the CBD?

The first part from Britomart up Albert Rd was cut and cover.

Handsomedan

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#3310568 19-Nov-2024 10:20

johno1234:

Handsomedan:

Then they started boring holes in the bedrock. What ever happened to the "cut and cover" that they were originally supposed to be doing throughout the CBD?

The first part from Britomart up Albert Rd was cut and cover.

Yes, I remember that from my childhood.

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wellygary

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#3310572 19-Nov-2024 11:02

Handsomedan:

Yes, I remember that from my childhood.

Enabling works for the cut and cover began in DECEMBER 2015!!!!!!!!!

https://www.mcconnelldowell.com/projects/city-rail-link-contract-2

richms

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#3310578 19-Nov-2024 11:17

Its taking so long because they hire staff who stand around and do nothing all day. Like the road worker memes where one is digging and all the others are watching. Its a spectacle in nothing happening.

Richard rich.ms

johno1234

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#3310590 19-Nov-2024 12:23

richms:

Its taking so long because they hire staff who stand around and do nothing all day. Like the road worker memes where one is digging and all the others are watching. Its a spectacle in nothing happening.

They don't even watch these days. They're in the parked utes and trucks looking at their phones or sleeping. Apart from the one guy who drew the short straw on the stop-go sign.

Handsomedan

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#3310592 19-Nov-2024 12:40

johno1234:

richms:

Its taking so long because they hire staff who stand around and do nothing all day. Like the road worker memes where one is digging and all the others are watching. Its a spectacle in nothing happening.

They don't even watch these days. They're in the parked utes and trucks looking at their phones or sleeping. Apart from the one guy who drew the short straw on the stop-go sign.

Come on...that's a bit disingenous.

I distinctly remember seeing a guy watching from outside his ute once.

Or maybe that's the Mandela effect...

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tripper1000

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#3310631 19-Nov-2024 14:33

One of the reasons it costs so much is because Kiwi's are/elect idiots who are allergic to city planning, which results in building things in the wrong order.

Drunken evolution instead of sensible planning and layout is happening right now out at Westgate.

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