CONSTRUCTION UPDATE – 31 JANUARY 2011

Posted on Feb 9, 2011 in Construction Update – 2011, Featured

A) CONSTRUCTION

On 8 June 2010, Phase 1 of the Gautrain System was opened for commercial service. The first phase operations include the airport train service between Sandton Station and OR Tambo International Airport, a commuter service between Sandton and Rhodesfield – with an intermediate stop at Marlboro Station – as well as dedicated feeder and distribution bus services to and from the Sandton and Rhodesfield Stations. The Operations Control Centre, together with the Train and Bus Depot facilities located just south of Allandale Road in the Midrand area, were also completed as part of the first phase scope of works.

The remaining sections of Sandton Station required for the Phase 2 operations are well advanced. These works include completion of the podium slab over the station complex, the remaining parking facilities, the third platform to service the southbound line to the Rosebank and Park stations and an undercover municipal taxi terminus. The reinstatement of Rivonia Road, which also formed part of these works, has been completed and the road was re-opened to traffic in its final two-way configuration during December 2010.

Monthly Construction Updates now focus on progress of the Gautrain Phase 2 works, comprising the underground section between Sandton Station and Park Station and the route between Midrand Station and Hatfield Station.

1. Underground Section

Within the southern portion of the Phase 2 tunnel section between Sandton Station and Johannesburg Park Station, the civil works are now complete. Tracklaying within the completed tunnel is ongoing and has currently progressed southwards from Rosebank Station to approximately 1 km north of Park Station. Test running of trains and testing of the signalling system between Sandton and Rosebank Stations commenced during January 2011 and is ongoing.

The underground works also include the construction of seven emergency access shafts located at intervals along the single-track rail tunnel between Park Station and Sandton Station. These shafts will provide emergency services personnel access to the tunnels below. At the bottom of certain of these shafts there will be safe havens where passengers can gather in case of an emergency. Construction works at three of these emergency access shafts are substantially complete and are ongoing at the remaining four.

The tunnel section between Johannesburg Park Station and Sandton Station

Track work at the tunnel section between Johannesburg Park Station and Sandton Station

PARK STATION

All structural works for the station and parkade structures are complete, including the concrete ventilation chamber at the northern end of the platforms and the cut and cover linking the station to the tunnel portal. Waterproofing of the cut and cover structure was completed during December and backfilling commenced in January 2011. Internal finishes and mechanical and electrical (M&E) installations are well advanced and platform tiling is substantially complete. Ticket vending machines and fare gates have been installed on the concourse level.

Installed ticket vending machines at Johannesburg Park Station concourse

At the parkade structure, works are substantially complete, with canopy installation currently in progress. Cladding of the structural steel entrance pavilion on the southern side of Wolmarans Street is substantially complete, with façade glazing to follow. Construction of the ventilation structure on the northern side of Smit Street is also approaching completion, as are the M&E installations within this shaft.

The reinstatement of Wolmarans Street and Smit Street is complete and both of these roads are open to traffic. Reinstatement of the two remaining roads bordering Park Station – Eloff and Joubert Streets – is also substantially complete, but these will not be opened to traffic until the station external works are further progressed.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E1 (HILLBROW)

At Shaft E1, construction works – apart from installation of the lift which is currently in progress – are substantially complete, including the external works and landscaping.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E2 (THE WILDS, HOUGHTON)

At Shaft E2, installation of the structural steelwork access structure within the shaft is complete, construction of the surface head house building has reached roof level and installation of the lift will follow in the coming weeks.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E3 (RIVIERA)

At Shaft E3, construction works – apart from installation of the lift which is currently in progress – are substantially complete, including the external works and landscaping.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E4 (HOUGHTON)

At Shaft E4, construction works – apart from installation of the lift which is currently in progress – are substantially complete, with the external works and landscaping also approaching completion.

ROSEBANK STATION

At Rosebank Station, works within the underground station are approaching completion. The first Electrostar train arrived in Rosebank during the month. Test running of trains and testing of the signalling system along this section of the route has commenced and test running of trains between Rosebank and Pretoria is ongoing.

The parkade structure is substantially complete, with perimeter brickwork and plastering well advanced. Final finishings and installation of shadeport canopies on the top parking deck will follow in the coming weeks.

Construction of the Rosebank Station parkade

The phased reinstatement of Oxford Road adjacent to the station is ongoing. These road reinstatement works, which are being carried out on a phased basis to enable the two station entrances and the ventilation structure located on the western side of Oxford Road to be constructed, are scheduled to be completed at the end of March 2011. Works to both of the western entrances and the ventilation shaft are well advanced. The structural steel canopy structures have been erected and roof cladding completed, with side cladding to follow. Within the entrances, the escalator has been installed, stair tiling is in progress and lift installation will commence shortly.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E5 (DUNKELD, ROSEBANK)

At Shaft E5, installation of the structural steelwork access structure within the shaft itself is complete and construction of the head house building is in progress. Installation of the lift will follow in the coming weeks.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E6 (ILLOVO)

At Shaft E6, installation of the structural steelwork access structure within the shaft itself is substantially complete, lift installation will commence shortly and construction of the head house building will follow in the coming weeks.

EMERGENCY ACCESS SHAFT E7 (WESTERN SIDE OF RIVONIA ROAD, SANDTON)

At Shaft E7, installation of the structural steelwork access structure within the shaft itself is complete, lift installation is in progress and construction of the head house building is ongoing.

2. Northern Section (Depot to Hatfield Station)

DEPOT TO MIDRAND

Between the Depot and Midrand Station, all construction works are complete, as are all railway installations. The overhead catenaries are energised and test running of trains to Midrand Station commenced during December 2010. Test running of trains, together with testing of the signalling system, is currently in progress along the full section of the route between Rosebank Station and Pretoria Station.

MIDRAND STATION

At Midrand Station, all works are substantially complete. The new section of Grand Central Boulevard that provides access to the station from the Old Pretoria Road (K101) and the widening of a section of the K101 adjacent to the station were both completed during the month. Installation of street lighting along the new section of Grand Central Boulevard is currently in progress. Trains are running through the station on a regular basis en-route to and from Pretoria, as part of the current testing procedures.

Gautrain arrival at Midrand Station

MIDRAND TO CENTURION, INCLUDING VIADUCT 4 OVER RIETSPRUIT AND OLIFANTSFONTEIN ROAD SOUTH

From Midrand Station to Centurion, all construction works and railway installations are complete. The overhead catenaries are energised and test running of trains, together with testing of the signalling system along this section of the route, is ongoing.

Gautrain on Viaduct 5 in the vicinity of Centurion Station

Centurion Station platform

CENTURION AREA, INCLUDING VIADUCT 5 OVER THE N1 AND BEN SCHOEMAN HIGHWAYS AND CENTURION STATION

Construction of all three of the Centurion viaducts is complete. These comprise Viaduct 5b – the balanced cantilever viaduct crossing the N1 and the John Vorster Interchange, Viaduct 5c – the approximately 3 km long segmental viaduct that carries the elevated Gautrain railway lines through Centurion and supports the Centurion Station platforms midway along its length and Viaduct 5d – the second balanced cantilever viaduct – that crosses the Ben Schoeman highway and the Jean Avenue Interchange. The overhead catenaries are energised and test running of trains along this section of the line, together with testing of the signalling system, is in progress.

At Centurion Station, all structural and building works are complete. Within the station buildings, internal finishings and M&E works are also substantially complete. The overhead catenaries through the station up to Pretoria are energised and test running of trains through the station, which commenced during January 2011, is ongoing.

Construction of Centurion Station interior

Centurion Station parkade

Externally, carpark construction is well advanced, with asphalt paving, roadmarking and the erection of shadeport structures substantially complete to the park and ride area. Final layerworks to the bus terminus area and the West Steet entrance are also approaching completion, with asphalt surfacing to follow shortly. The bus management building and the perimeter palisade boundary wall are both substantially complete.

Emergency stairwell at Centurion Station

CENTURION TO PRETORIA, INCLUDING VIADUCT 6 OVER EEUFEES ROAD

Civil construction works along this section of the route – which include extensive earthworks, a number of bridges, U-shape structures through the military area and Viaduct 6 crossing Eeufees Road – are substantially complete. Remaining works include completion of drainage channels and maintenance roads, trimming of embankments, topsoiling and landscaping.

All railway installations are complete. The overhead catenaries are energised and test running of trains, together with testing of the signalling system along this section of the route, is ongoing.

Gautrain on the alignment in the vicinity of Pretoria Station

Test runs of the Gautrain to Pretoria Station

PRETORIA STATION AND SATELLITE BUS DEPOT

At Pretoria Station, all works within the station are substantially complete, apart from completion of the platform tiling. All railway installations are also complete and the overhead catenaries into the station have been energised.

Installed fare gates at the Pretoria Station concourse

A significant milestone during the month was the arrival of the first Electrostar train in Pretoria Station on 13 January 2011. Test running of trains, together with testing of the signalling system between Rosebank Station and Pretoria station commenced shortly thereafter, and is ongoing.

Gautrain arrival at Pretoria Station

Externally, the car park and the bus terminal areas are well advanced, as is construction of the perimeter palisade boundary wall and the refurbishment of the heritage house, which will accommodate the bus management offices.

Construction of the Pretoria satellite bus depot is ongoing. This facility is located to the north of the CBD, in the vicinity of the Pretoria Zoo. It is the base from where the fleet of Gautrain feeder and distribution buses that will serve the three stations in the Tshwane area will operate. Maintenance work and major servicing of the buses, however, will take place at the already operational Gautrain Bus Depot, which is located adjacent to the Train Depot and Operations Control Centre in Midrand. Bulk earthworks and layer works have been completed and concreting of the hardstand area surface beds is ongoing. Construction of the office and guardhouse buildings is well advanced. Structural steelwork has been erected at the workshop and the various utility buildings and cladding to these buildings is approaching completion.

PRETORIA TO HATFIELD, INCLUDING VIADUCT 7 OVER NELSON MANDELA BOULEVARD

Viaduct 7 comprises a set of “Y-shaped” viaducts and flyovers that carry the Gautrain railway lines into Pretoria Station from the south and then across Nelson Mandela Boulevard and the adjacent PRASA railway network towards Hatfield. Construction of all of these structures is complete and the installation of trackwork and associated railway infrastructure across the decks has also been completed.

Between Pretoria Station and Hatfield Station, a number of bridges crossing the existing PRASA railway line have been either widened or lengthened to accommodate the adjacent Gautrain tracks. All of these bridges have already been completed and reopened to traffic, with minor finishing works ongoing. The extensive lateral support works in cuttings, together with the earthworks and construction of the retaining structures necessary to widen the existing embankments, are complete, as is construction of dividing walls between the Gautrain and PRASA railway lines. Erection of noise barriers and boundary fencing are also approaching completion. The civil works to the final section of alignment between Celliers Street and John Street was completed during December 2010. Tracklaying operations and the installation of associated railway infrastructure between Pretoria and Hatfield, which commenced during October 2010, are well advanced along this final section of the route.

HATFIELD STATION

At Hatfield Station, concourse construction is substantially complete, including floor and wall tiling, installation of mechanical electrical equipment and final finishes. The multi-storey parkade structure is also substantially complete. Platform construction below the concourse slab is complete, including the platform canopy structures and cladding at either end. The escalators between the concourse and the platform have been assembled and installation of these is currently in progress. Railway tracks have been laid into the station and preparations for the start of platform tiling are in progress.

Installed fare gates at The Hatfield Station concourse

The Hatfield Station multi story parkade

At the adjacent bus terminus area, the bus management building is substantially complete. Most of interlocking block paving to the traffic surfaces have been laid and paving of pedestrian walkways is in progress. Bus canopy support structures are complete, with canopy erection to follow. Construction of the new Grosvenor Street bridge is complete and construction of the approach roads are well advanced. This bridge, however, will only be opened to public traffic when station operations commence.

B) OVERALL PROGRESS

Construction started at the end of September 2006. Gautrain will be completed in two phases:

1. The first phase was initially planned to be of a 45 months contractual duration, but was completed three weeks ahead of this, on 08 June 2010. It includes the network between the OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton and includes the stations at OR Tambo, Rhodesfield, Marlboro and Sandton, together with the Depot and Operations Control Centre located near Allandale Road in Midrand.

2. The second phase, being constructed concurrently, will be completed during 2011. It includes the remainder of the rail network and stations linking Sandton to Park Station in Johannesburg and the route from Midrand to Hatfield.

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