Hon Gerry Brownlee
Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
14 August 2014
Halfway mark for horizontal infrastructure rebuild
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says the rebuild programme for Christchurch’s damaged horizontal
infrastructure has reached the halfway point.
“The repair and rebuild of the city’s roads, bridges and underground services is essential in the city getting back on
its feet, and people having confidence in the services to their homes and businesses,” Mr Brownlee says.
“To be halfway through is great news for everyone, not least for road users having to navigate extensive roadworks every
day.
“In Christchurch’s central city, things are even more advanced, with 68 per cent of the work completed.”
The rebuild programme for the city’s horizontal infrastructure, including publicly-owned water, wastewater and
stormwater networks, roads, bridges and retaining walls, is being undertaken by the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure
Rebuild Team (SCIRT).
SCIRT is a partnership between the Government, Christchurch City Council and the contractors carrying out the work: City
Care; Downer; Fletcher; Fulton Hogan; and McConnell Dowell.
Mr Brownlee says SCIRT’s programme is the biggest civil engineering challenge in New Zealand’s history, and that means a
lot of work for all those involved.
“Special thanks must go to the crews who are working above and below ground, in often trying conditions, to make life
better for everyone in Christchurch.”
Christchurch City Council chief executive Karleen Edwards says the halfway milestone should be a confidence boost for
residents, who have shown remarkable patience.
“It means we’re well on the way to having sustainable and resilient underground services like wastewater and stormwater,
so the rest of the city’s recovery and future is founded on a solid and secure infrastructure base,” Dr Edwards says.
SCIRT general manager Duncan Gibb says the city’s horizontal infrastructure work is within budget and on target for
completion by the end of 2016.
“Our work includes asset assessment, design, construction and programme management for more than 600 construction
projects, managing up to 150 projects at a time.
“Drivers will be pleased to know we expect our work to be about 90 per cent completed in the central city by Christmas
2014, with some structural repairs to bridges and road repairs planned for early 2015.”
Completion rates of repairs and replacements include:
• 284 km wastewater pipe (43 per cent of total)
• 14 km storm water pipe (52 per cent of total)
• 48 km fresh water pipe (69 per cent of total)
• More than 355,000sqm of roading (27 per cent of total)
• 94 bridges and culverts (62 per cent of total)
For more information on SCIRT’s work, visit www.strongerchristchurch.govt.nz
ENDS