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

  • October 1, 2015
    TransCore to upgrade Delaware River bridge toll system
    The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC) has awarded TransCore a US$24.9 million multi-year design-build-maintain contract for a complete overhaul of the agency’s toll collection system infrastructure. The modernisation project will include virtually every aspect of the agency’s toll system: manual cash collections, conventional toll-lane E-ZPass transactions, highway-speed open-road tolling, and future all-electronic tolling at the Scudder Falls replacement bridge.
    Read More
  • December 12, 2014
    Cubic completes Sydney Opal Card rollout early
    Cubic Transportation Systems has completed the roll out of Sydney’s Opal contactless smartcard ticketing system across all transport modes and connecting multiple operators and commenced operation and maintenance of the Opal system under the ten-year services agreement that is part of the original contract. The contract to build the new electronic ticketing system (ETS) – later branded as the Opal Card – was awarded to the Cubic-led Pearl consortium in 2010.
    Read More
  • December 3, 2012
    New Zealand planning more speed cameras
    The government of New Zealand aims to improve road safety in the country by installing more speed cameras nationwide. Currently, the ratio of speed cameras per 100,000 people stands at 1.3 compared to 2.5 and 4.8 in the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria respectively. The New Zealand Transport Agency is to be allocated US$8.05 million to increase the number of speed cameras from the existing 55 units to 100 or more by 2015. Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges welcomed plans to increase
    Read More
  • December 3, 2018
    Siemens to provide intelligent technology for Stockholm bypass
    Siemens Mobility is to deliver intelligent tunnel solutions for a section of the European route number four (E4), the Stockholm Bypass, as part of a €75 million contract. The 21km bypass will connect the southern and northern parts of the surrounding Stockholm communities. It includes 18km of tunnelling and is expected to alleviate congestion for residents and visitors. Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, says the southern tunnel will minimise environmental impact. Construction is scheduled to be
    Read More

Highlighted Content