Design and construction of New Zealand War Memorial Park and underpass

This paper outlines the National War Memorial Park underpass and park project in Wellington New Zealand. The 15,000+m2 park is being separated from traffic by a 300 m long cut and cover trench and tunnel of which 138m is a rectangular box section tunnel. The parkrs opening will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Anzac Gallipoli landings. To enable completion in time for Anzac Day 25 April 2015 the resource consent process of the park and underpass was expedited through the passing by the NZ Parliament of the National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Act 2012. Design and construction is being undertaken by an Alliance. A summary is given of the local history, project enabling legislation, park and underpass designs, ground and surface water issues, enabling works, community engagement and creche relocation. Structural and geotechnical considerations are described including earthquake responses to seismic inertia, lateral spreading and uplift. There are over 5 faults within 20 km of the site that have return periods less than 2500 years, one of which raised the nearby Basin Reserve by 1 - 1.5 m in 1855. Tension piles resist uplift from liquefaction. The underpass is due for completion in October 2014 and the park in March 2015.