Multi-million dollar safety upgrade for New Zealand tunnel

New Zealand transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced work is set to begin on a multi-million dollar fire deluge system that will improve safety and reduce the risk of lengthy closures at Lyttelton Tunnel south of Christchurch. The US$19.9 million (NZ$28.7 million) project is the largest project undertaken at the tunnel since it opened in 1964. The contract has been awarded to McConnell Dowell, with work set to start in the coming weeks. A fire sprinkler system is the most effective means of mana
May 18, 2017 Read time: 1 min
New Zealand transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced work is set to begin on a multi-million dollar fire deluge system that will improve safety and reduce the risk of lengthy closures at Lyttelton Tunnel south of Christchurch.


The US$19.9 million (NZ$28.7 million) project is the largest project undertaken at the tunnel since it opened in 1964. The contract has been awarded to McConnell Dowell, with work set to start in the coming weeks.

A fire sprinkler system is the most effective means of managing fire risk in the tunnel and is designed to control and contain a fire until fire services reach the scene. The project involves the construction of two reservoirs, two pump stations, and the installation of 9km of pipe work and 2,400 fire sprinkler nozzles throughout the tunnel.

The project is expected to be complete by December 2018.

Related Content

  • Indra wins in India with two transport and traffic contracts
    November 30, 2015
    Indra has increased its penetration of the Indian transport and traffic by winning two contracts with a total value of US$12.5 million to deploy its technology in the longest tunnel in Southeast Asia, between Chenani and Nashri, and in the Navi Mumbai metro system, in India's financial capital, both currently under construction. Under the first contract, Indra is responsible for the design, supply, set-up and rollout of the control system for the 9.2 km long tunnel and will equip the control center with
    Read More
  • UK's Hindhead tunnel pushes the boundaries of traffic management
    January 23, 2012
    The new Hindhead Tunnel is the first in the UK to use radar-based incident detection. Paul Arnold, project manager with the Highways Agency, talks about the project. The comparatively remote location of the A3 Hindhead Tunnel has resulted in it becoming one of the most sophisticated in the UK in terms of monitoring and control systems, according to Paul Arnold, project manager for the Highways Agency (HA), which manages strategic roads in England and Wales. It is the first tunnel in the UK to use radar for
    Read More
  • Melbourne metro funding fast-tracked
    February 16, 2015
    Work has begun on one of Australia’s largest infrastructure projects: two nine-kilometre underground rail tunnels that will transform Melbourne’s public transport system. The Victoria government has fast-tracked US$31 million to establish the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority and start work on the project as soon as possible. The project also includes five new underground stations. The Authority will oversee immediate planning works, complete development of the reference design and undertake detailed site inve
    Read More
  • Jacobs JV wins contract for WestConnex New M5 project in Australia
    May 18, 2016
    A joint venture of Jacobs Engineering Group and Aurecon has been awarded a contract to carry out the engineering design for the multi-billion dollar WestConnex New M5 Project in Sydney, Australia. WestConnex is a critical part of the New South Wales (NSW) Government’s integrated transport solution and aims to significantly reduce the congestion impacting hundreds of thousands of NSW road users every day. The New M5, which is expected to double the capacity of the heavily congested M5 East motorway co
    Read More

Highlighted Content