Date: 24 August 2027
The opening of two new pedestrian bridges at Te Mahia and Takaanini stations marks an important milestone with all pedestrian rail level crossings on the Eastern Line and Southern Line north of Papakura now removed.
The bridges replace rail level crossings in the Takaanini area, helping unlock the full benefits of City Rail Link by enabling more trains to run safely and efficiently across the network.
Te Mahia Station pedestrian bridge has opened today, providing safer access to the station and a direct connection between Great South Road and Ferguson Street. The Takaanini Station bridge will follow, opening on 12 September and connecting Station Road and Maru Road.
To prepare for City Rail Link, 16 rail level crossings have been closed or replaced during the past decade, while all remaining pedestrian crossings have been upgraded with automatic safety gates. The next step is replacing remaining road level crossings in Takaanini with new road or pedestrian bridges, with construction due to begin in the second half of 2027.
The new bridges are part of the project and will support more frequent train services both when City Rail Link opens and as demand grows in the coming decades. They also provide safer access to stations and better connections between communities on either side of the rail corridor.
The new pedestrian bridge at Glen Innes Station opened in July, replacing the final pedestrian rail level crossing on the Eastern Line.
Construction of all three bridges was accelerated after the Government and Auckland Council brought forward funding, with work beginning over Labour Weekend 2025.
Transport and Infrastructure Delivery Committee Chair Councillor, Andy Baker, says separating pedestrians, cyclists and drivers from the rail tracks is key to allowing more trains, improving safety and keeping people moving.
"These bridges are the start of a much wider programme of work to remove or replace all rail level crossings in Auckland. That is as much about making sure we can run more trains, more often whilst significantly improving safety and bringing the days of vehicles queuing to wait at level crossings to an end.”
Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillors Daniel Newman and Matt Winata say the bridges are a huge win for the communities.
"It was not that long ago that Te Mahia was proposed to be closed and Takaanini was a station accessed primarily through a muddy bog with little or no amenity. The transformation at both stations is breathtaking and reflects an enduring commitment to invest in commuter trains for Aucklanders.
"As the Auckland Councillors for this community, we are very pleased with these station upgrades, which build on the recent openings of new stations at Drury and Paerata. A much larger vehicular grade separation project will follow, bringing benefits to our changing and rapidly growing community," Councillors Newman and Winiata say.
Auckland Transport Head of Level Crossings, Tom Willetts, says a lot of hard work has gone into the project and it’s great to see the bridges come to fruition.
“We’re pleased to open these bridges ahead of the City Rail Link opening, ensuring the Takaanini and Glen Innes communities are safe as more trains run on our upgraded rapid transit network.
“We know construction has had an impact on the community and commuters, and we’re grateful to both communities for their patience, understanding and support while we built these bridges. They're an important investment for both areas and we're proud to see them open for everyone to use.”
Mr Willetts says while the bridges help to improve safety, City Rail Link opening on 13 September means there will be more frequent trains across Auckland so it is still important that people take extra care at remaining rail crossings.
“There are still 39 rail level crossings which are used every day by drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
”Trains are bigger, faster, quieter than you expect. So, stop, look and listen at rail crossings whether you’re in a car, truck, walking or cycling. The barrier arms are down and gates closed for a reason – to keep you safe.”
About the Auckland Rail Level Crossing Programme
Auckland Transport and Auckland Council, with support from KiwiRail, are working together to replace rail level crossings across Auckland during the next 10 to 30 years.
Replacing rail crossings with safer connections is key to unlocking the full City Rail Link (CRL) benefits of allowing even more trains to run in the future while keeping traffic moving. It will also support urban development and make it safer and easier to get around your local area.
As Auckland grows and rail demand increases, current crossings won’t work as they do today, with increased traffic delays and safety risks if we don’t replace them.
The Auckland Rail Crossings Programme is funded by Auckland Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).
Strong progress is being made on the Auckland wide programme including:
- 16 rail level crossings have been closed or replaced, for example the three station bridges for CRL.
- Detailed design and property acquisition to be ready to start construction of new Takaanini road bridges.
- Work on the investment case to decide how and when to replace or remove up to 21 level crossings across the Western Line.
-ENDS-
Notes to the editor:
- Crews used planned rail closures during public and school holidays, including over Christmas, to complete works that could not be carried out while trains were running.
- During the construction of all three pedestrian bridges, teams worked a total of 118,264 hours with 2,325 metres of pile foundations installed, 3,005 cubic metres of concrete poured, 1,155 square metres of asphalt platform resurfaced, and 1,350 square metres of footpaths constructed.