Karanga-a-Hape Station Precinct Integration

MRCagney supported Auckland Transport over five years to integrate the new Karanga-a-Hape City Rail Link station with the surrounding neighbourhood and ensure the wider transport network was ready for the significant increase in activity the station would bring.

Our involvement began in 2021, when Auckland Transport and City Rail Link Limited identified the need to look beyond the immediate station entrances and consider how people would move through the surrounding streets and neighbourhood. MRCagney developed station integration concepts and key moves for the new CRL stations, with Karanga-a-Hape identified as a priority because of the scale of expected pedestrian demand and the complexity of the surrounding street network.

We subsequently undertook a feasibility study to test how these ideas could be implemented in practice. This work considered how the precinct could better support walking, cycling, public transport, servicing and general traffic while also improving the quality of the public realm. It also took advantage of the significant changes already occurring in the area through CRL construction to establish a more permanent and better integrated transport environment.

The project progressed into a Single Stage Business Case in 2022, which MRCagney helped prepare alongside the wider project team. A key challenge was timing: the business case needed to be completed quickly enough for construction to align with the CRL programme and take advantage of a ‘dig once’ approach, helping minimise further disruption in a neighbourhood already affected by major construction activity.

Following approval of the business case, MRCagney continued to support Auckland Transport through detailed design and construction. Our role included providing transport planning and design input, supporting stakeholder engagement, and helping maintain the integrity of the original project vision as the scheme evolved.

The final project covered seven streets around the station and brought together a coordinated package of walking, cycling, public transport, traffic circulation, parking, loading and public-realm improvements. Key interventions included widened footpaths, new pedestrian crossings, bus and cycle lanes, changes to kerbside use and vehicle circulation, and a new shared space on Mercury Lane.

The improvements were completed ahead of the station opening, helping ensure the benefits of the City Rail Link investment extend beyond the station itself into the wider Karanga-a-Hape neighbourhood. The project demonstrates the value of integrating station planning with the surrounding transport network and urban environment from the outset.