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Acoustic wall starts to take shape

18 May 2006

The first of 180 pre-cast panels, that will form a new acoustic barrier from Willis Street to the Terrace Tunnel, has just been installed.

The new acoustic wall, being built as part of the Wellington Inner City Bypass project is between 1.2 and 2.4m in height and runs both sides of the trench. The acoustic barrier is formed from fluted, pre-cast, reinforced concrete panels.

Transit project manager Jonnette Adams said that the installation of an acoustic barrier will help to reduce any noise created by traffic passing through the trench structure.

"Although the trench structure is lowered, which will help to reduce some of the traffic noise, the wall will help ensure that surrounding residents and businesses have as little noise disruption as possible," she said.

There are 39 different designs for the panels, the majority of which are only one-offs. Each of these are set directly on top of the trench walls, or on concrete foundations, leading to and from the trench.

"The concrete foundations are anchored by concrete piles, and ‘deadmen’, which gave the engineers some problems when setting out the wall. We had to be particularly accurate with the work as we were digging down into the slopes where soil nails had already been installed horizontally," Ms Adams said.

The fluted, or ribbed, side of the panels faces the new bypass. The other side will be the backdrop for the new landscaping and planting that is being installed as part of the project's urban design.

For more information contact:

Jonnette Adams
Project Manager
Transit New Zealand
DDI: 04 801 2598
Email: jonnette.adams@transit.govt.nz

Rebecca Collerton
Communications Advisor
Transit New Zealand
DDI: 04 801 2521
Email: rebecca.collerton@transit.govt.nz

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