Five months of construction in just two weeks

The Eastern Busway Alliance has achieved something remarkable: compressing five months and six separate traffic stages of traditional construction work into just over two weeks.

Between 10pm on 26 December 2025 and 5am on 12 January 2026, the team completed 29 shifts to deliver a complex intersection upgrade, significantly reducing long‑term disruption to road users, local businesses, and the surrounding community.

The scale of the operation was unprecedented for the project. During the record‑breaking concrete pour shift, the peak workforce reached 102 people as the team placed 780m³ of lean‑mix concrete in a single continuous operation – the largest pavement concrete pour completed on the project to date. This required careful coordination across four concrete plants, 30 trucks operating continuously, and four pumps working simultaneously.

Over the course of 29 shifts totalling 348 hours, the alliance delivered the full scope of work, including deconstruction of existing infrastructure; installation of special heat‑absorbing material beside Transpower’s underground 220kV cable; earthworks and drainage installation; construction of concrete pavement; placement of 1,800 tonnes of asphalt; installation of new traffic signals and signage; landscaping; line marking; and successful commissioning of the upgraded intersection.

This achievement was made possible through robust planning and close coordination with alliance partners. Early installation of 3.5‑metre drainage manholes helped mitigate flooding risks, while extensive pavement investigations informed key design decisions. Design collaboration also enabled the retention of existing granular pavement, saving 36 hours on the programme and contributing to the project’s overall efficiency.

The upgrade was completed on schedule without the need for contingency shifts, and the project was delivered under budget. The accelerated programme significantly reduced long‑term impacts on the community, and early completion unlocked downstream work areas along Ti Rākau Drive ahead of schedule. Together, these results highlight the strength of the alliance model, where collaborative planning, coordinated execution, and a shared focus on excellence have produced outcomes that surpass those typically achievable using traditional construction approaches.

The Eastern Busway project is funded by the Government and Auckland Council. It is being delivered by an alliance of Auckland Transport with Fletcher Construction, ACCIONA, AECOM and Jacobs, in partnership with mana whenua.