Christchurch’s $2.7b rebuild no pipe dream

More than $2.7 billion worth of repairs and rebuilding has gone into restoring Christchurch’s battered horizontal infrastructure since the 2010-11 earthquakes.

Over the past three years, the Christchurch City Council has invested $572 million in improving transport and three waters infrastructure, building on the initial $2.22b spent over five-and-a-half years under the post-quake SCIRT (Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team) programme.SCIRT – a purpose-built organisation funded nationally, locally and through insurance – was initially responsible for rebuilding the publicly owned horizontal infrastructure of roads, retaining walls and bridges and the fresh water, wastewater and storm water networks.Improvements have been integrated into the programme where, and when, applicable. For example, a core project in the Council wastewater strategy, the new Halswell sewer project, tops the “three waters” list at more than $6.2 million.Among the other major three waters projects are the Cranford (about $10.8m) and Upper Heathcote ($7.5m) storage basins; the $6.5m North Avon Road (Hills Road-North Parade) street renewal; the $4.8m Colombo Street trunk and Beckenham cross connection project; the $3m temporary chlorination; the $2.8m sub-main renewals; the $2.6m Cranford Street-Sherborne Street mains renewal; and the $2.4m Knights Drain (Wainoni Park).The Council’s completed cycleway projects include the $14.6m Quarryman's Trail (Hoon Hay Road to Roker Street-Strickland Street; the $7.7m Coastal Pathway sections; the $6.3m Rapanui - Shag Rock Cycleway (Aldwins Road to Dyers Road) and $3.9m Worcester Street to Linwood Avenue.