On Wednesday 16th September the ITE Study Tour visited and experienced one of the more transformative transport and urban design projects constructed over the past several decades - The Arras Tunnel and National War Memorial Park in Wellington, New Zealand. With the kind and helpful assistance of members of the Memorial Park Alliance, the Study Group was given a guided tour of the completed Arras Tunnel (beneath and behind the tour group in the photo below).
The Memorial Park Alliance (MPA) was a grouping of client, design consultant and contractor brought together with only 600 days available from the awarding of the alliance contract to deliver the Pukeahu Memorial Park and First World War Memorial recognising the efforts of New Zealand tunnellers and soldiers assisting the Allied efforts in France. No only did the project see the alliance form of project come together successfully, it demonstrated the way in which the transportation outcome (the creation of a tunnel for a four lane arterial roadway) and urban design and community outcomes could be delivered in parallel - each benefiting from the other.
The alliance concept embodied in the MPA Arras Tunnel project echoed many of the messages about collaboration and co-ordination heard throughout New Zealand over our week of travel and exploration.