Waterview TBM under construction

The team building the Waterview Connection have release a video showing the first stages of the TBM being assembled like a giant jigsaw puzzle and which gives an indication to the sheer size of it. In addition here are some photos from the facebook page set up for the machine The photo above shows the lifting into place of the 260 tonne main drive which the biggest single piece and which required modifications to local roads to allow it to pass.…
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Where to host a possible future America’s Cup?

As many people will know, yesterday Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton Cup meaning that in a few weeks they will get to challenge for the America’s Cup. If they win that they will bring the cup back to New Zealand and people – perhaps getting a little ahead of themselves – are already starting to think about where a future regatta could be hosted.…
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Oil prices in the future

This post will be regularly updated as new projections come out. Initially published 26/8/2013, last updated 3/1/2014 Oil prices are notoriously difficult to predict. One paper states that “oil prices have been highly volatile [since 1970], and seem likely to stay that way… the oil market as it is structured today seems inherently prone to further disruption”.…
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Why stop at just a second CBD?

Last week mayoral candidate John Palino reaffirmed his position that we should turn Manukau into a second CBD. I have actually looked at some of the issues in the past but will look at a few different points this time. Auckland mayoral candidate John Palino is promising to build a smart, green new city – possibly at Manukau – as an alternative to “sprawling intensification” proposed by Mayor Len Brown.…
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Len Brown and the Congestion Free Network

Last night Patrick and I joined some of the team from Generation Zero to have a chat to Len Brown about the Congestion Free Network.  During the conversation we discussed all sorts of different aspects of the proposal like the need to focus on an overall vision rather than the individual projects – currently it seems much more like we are building projects that sound good and then fitting a vision around that.…
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AT Fare Survey

While the roll-out of HOP seems to be taking forever with hiccups at every stage, it seems that Auckland Transport at least getting on with the next stage of looking at how they might do the next and arguably the most important stage, integrated fares.  …
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