Imagine driving beneath a city. That is what it feels like in the Waterview Tunnel. This is New Zealand’s longest road tunnel. It stretches 2.4 kilometers.
The Waterview Tunnel is more than just concrete and asphalt. It is a vital artery. It completes Auckland’s Western Ring Route. This provides an alternative to the busy city center. It reduces reliance on State Highway 1 and the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The Waterview Tunnel also provides a direct motorway link. It goes from the central city to Auckland Airport.
Planning for the Waterview Tunnel started in 2000. However, a route in this area was proposed much earlier. The Waterview Tunnel was delivered by the Well-Connected Alliance. This was a partnership of several organizations. They included the NZ Transport Agency and Fletcher Construction.
Constructing the Waterview Tunnel was a feat of engineering. A factory was built in East Tamaki. It produced the concrete rings that line the tunnels. Each ring was two meters wide and 14 meters in diameter. Each ring consisted of ten segments. Each segment weighed 10.5 tonnes.
An Earth Pressure Balance tunnel boring machine was built for the Waterview Tunnel. It was built in Guangzhou, China. The TBM was 14 meters in diameter and 97 meters long. It had a top speed of 80mm per minute. The TBM arrived in Auckland in July 2013. It was nicknamed Alice after a public vote. Alice was the 11th largest machine of its type in the world. Alice bored the twin tunnels in two passes. She went to a depth of up to 45 meters. This was to pass below hard rock, the water table and sea level. The southbound tunnel was completed in September 2014. Alice completed the return journey in October 2015. She was then dismantled and shipped back to the German manufacturer.
Sixteen cross-passages connect the two tunnels. These passages allow evacuation in an emergency. They also house tunnel operation equipment. Each cross-passage is about 11 meters long.
The Waterview Tunnel has many safety features. These include electronic message boards and speed cameras. There are also public address systems and CCTV cameras. Ventilation and fire sprinkler systems are in place. Traffic is monitored by dedicated tunnel operators. Emergency exits and telephones are installed every 150 meters. Overheight detection systems prevent oversize vehicles from entering. On-ramp signals regulate traffic flow.
Certain vehicles are prohibited from using the Waterview Tunnel. These include dangerous goods vehicles and vehicles over 4.3m high. Vehicles carrying uncovered loads are also prohibited. These vehicles must take a detour route.
The Waterview Tunnel opened on July 2 2017. The first cars passed through at 12:47 am. They were escorted by three police vehicles.
Auckland artist Graham Tipene created an artwork for the entranceway. It is named Te Haerenga Hou. This means New Journey. The artwork depicts a journey from the Manukau Harbour. It passes the volcanoes to Owairaka. The work also incorporates the story of lovers Tamaireia and Hinemairangi. Their elopement is said to have led to the creation of the region’s volcanoes.
So, as you travel through the Waterview Tunnel remember its story. It is a story of engineering. It is a story of culture. It is a story of Auckland’s growth.