Big changes in midtown, with major upgrades nearing completion

With the City Rail Link (CRL) set to open in 2026, this part of the city is being reshaped for the thousands of people who’ll move through what’s expected to be the busiest train station in Aotearoa. We’re upgrading bus lanes, footpaths and cycleways, laying new pipes underground, and welcoming new developments, all guided by the City Centre Masterplan, our long-term vision for a thriving city centre.

So, what’s already here and what’s still to come?

A new link for people walking and cycling

Two sections of Te Hā Noa, our new green link along Victoria Street, are now open. With new mature trees, widened footpaths, native planting, new seating, and improved lighting, it already offers a safer, more welcoming midtown experience.

In August 2025, a new section of two-way cycleway will open along Victoria Street West, running through Te Hā Noa, and connecting Victoria Park and the Nelson Street cycleway to Queen Street. Together with widened footpaths and upgraded public space, this forms an integrated corridor for people walking and cycling, linking key destinations and filling a gap in the wider city centre cycle loop.

The third section, between Queen and High Street, is scheduled to begin once Watercare’s underground works are complete in 2026.

Midtown wastewater upgrades

Watercare is tunnelling a major new wastewater pipeline beneath Queen Street. This work is critical to reducing wastewater overflows into the harbour. This project is an important long-term investment, future-proofing the city centre’s infrastructure for decades to come.

Shaft construction has been completed, and tunnelling is set to begin in July 2025. The works will continue into 2026, with the Victoria Street shaft site scheduled for handover to Te Hā Noa in early 2026 and the Queen Street section (to Marmion Street) expected to run for approximately 12 months.

Better bus journeys through Wellesley Street West

Wellesley Street is being upgraded to make it easier and more reliable to get around the city by bus. Once complete, it will provide better connections between train and bus services, faster travel times, and a more comfortable experience for people on foot.

Construction on the northern side of the street, between Queen and Albert Streets, is nearly finished, with much of the stone paving and widened footpaths already in place. Later this month, work will shift to the southern side.

Once complete, Wellesley Street will have:

• Four large bus shelters, providing more space and comfort for people waiting for their bus.
• Dedicated bus lanes, making travel more reliable and reducing delays across the network.
• Wider footpaths and safer crossings, improving access and safety for pedestrians.
• New trees and seating, adding shade, greenery, and places to rest.

By the end of 2025, Wellesley Street Bus Improvements will be substantially complete, and will support quicker, more predictable bus journeys and a smoother connection to Te Waihorotiu Station, futureproofing midtown as a key part of the city’s public transport network.

Looking ahead, public engagement on the next stage of the project, upgrades between Albert Street, the new International Convention Centre and Victoria Park will take place later this year.  

Albert Street

Albert Street is nearly finished, the heritage bluestone wall reinstatement is complete, and all street-level works are on track to be complete by the end of 2025, restoring access between Wyndham Street and Mayoral Drive. This reconnection supports both general traffic and bus services, helping to knit together key parts of the city centre ahead of Te Waihorotiu Station’s opening in 2026.

Private development and future investment

Midtown is also a magnet for private development, with a mix of completed, underway, and upcoming projects signalling strong confidence in the area’s future.

Completed developments include:

• Spark’s new head office on Albert Street, a major commercial anchor in the heart of midtown.
• Hotel Indigo, located on the former Chamber of Commerce site, is contributing to increased hospitality offerings in the area.

Projects currently underway or set to begin:

• Heritage-listed Bledisloe House, undergoing refurbishment by MRCB, with external facade work and internal strip-out works continuing through to the end of 2025.
• Symphony Centre, a new mixed-use development above Te Waihorotiu Station, is also led by MRCB and with enabling works due to begin in July 2025. 
• A total estimated $6 billion in private investment is planned or underway in the city centre, with 18 projects within a five-minute walk of Te Waihorotiu Station. These developments reflect strong investor confidence in midtown’s future as a key economic and social hub.

These projects are building a city centre that works better for everyone. That means safer, more reliable travel through City Rail Link network and bus routes, better walking and cycling options, smarter infrastructure, and greener public spaces.

What’s already complete?

• The first two sections of Te Hā Noa  (First section: Albert Street to Elliott Street, Second section: Lorne Street to Albert Park)
• Federal Street upgrade, extension of the shared path laneway circuit, artwork Lost & Found by Joe Sheehan in place.
• Queen Street upgrades
• Myers Park upgrade, and artwork Waimahara by Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Manu)

What’s coming next and when? Here’s a quick snapshot of what to expect:

By the end of 2025

• Albert Street fully reopened, with all street-level works complete
• Wellesley Street: northern side near completion; southern-side construction underway
• Te Hā Noa cycleway open between Victoria Park and Queen Street
• Private sector projects continue, including façade works at Bledisloe House
• Vincent Street bus and cycleway improvements and Mayoral Drive bus shelter completed ready for return of buses from the northwest to downtown via Albert Street.

First half of 2026

• Victoria Street shaft construction for the Midtown Wastewater Upgrades complete
• Site handover from Watercare to Te Hā Noa at Victoria Street
• Construction begins on final section of Te Hā Noa (Queen to High Street)
• Tunnelling continues beneath Queen Street for wastewater diversion
• Mayoral Drive wastewater upgrades begin (Queen Street to Grand Millennium)

Late 2026

• Queen Street wastewater tunnelling (to Marmion Street) completed
• Te Hā Noa connection opens from Queen Street to High Street

The City Rail Link stations are set to open in 2026, with the official opening date to be confirmed.