New Zealand’s rail operator KiwiRail, NZ Transport Agency and the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) alliance have been named the winners of Civil Engineers People’s Choice Award 2018 for their work to repair and reopen the Main North Line and State Highway One following the Kaikoura earthquake in late 2016.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is a professional membership body for civil engineers worldwide who work across government and industry. This year is the first year the award has been open to entrants from outside the UK, to mark ICE’s bicentenary.
Other finalists included the 2.7 km long Forth river replacement bridge in Scotland; an innovative offshore wind farm generating electricity for 34,000 household near Newcastle, England; a new metro rail system in Hyderabad India; and a Hong Kong Harbour area waste water treatment scheme.
“This is an amazing win for New Zealand and highlights this country’s expertise in civil engineering and earthquake recovery,” KiwiRail’s acting chief executive Todd Moyle said.
“KiwiRail, our partners NZTA and the NCTIR alliance brought together the best civil engineering and construction capability in New Zealand to deliver what was a massively complex project. This award is for everyone who worked on that project, and the communities who supported us over the two years it took.”
The Main North Line, which runs between Picton and Christchurch, is a major link in New Zealand’s transport supply network, with over 1 million tonnes of freight travelling between the North and South islands every year before the earthquake left over 150 kilometres of its length damaged.
Intense repair works allowed an initial restricted re-opening of the line in September 2017 for low-frequency freight services running five nights a week to allow repair and rebuilding work to continue. However, these were quickly suspended after exceptionally high levels of rain in Kaikoura, followed by another limited reopening of the line in November.
After being hit by Cyclone Gita in late February, freight services were once again briefly closed down for track repairs.
Despite the setbacks, the efforts of work teams from KiwiRail, NZ Transport Agency and the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR), have meant that freight trains have been able to return to the line, with tens of thousands of tonnes of freight now being delivered via the Main North Line once again. KiwiRail is also looking forward to reintroducing its iconic Coastal Pacific scenic tourist train service in December this year.