2005 – Wallace Building Contractors was involved with Higgins Contractors in the road widening upgrade of SH1 in Paremata with the construction of a 700m long decorative concrete retaining wall at Goat Point from Paremata to Plimmerton. The Work was undertaken in an area between SH1 and the railway main trunk line. Due to the tight confines of the working area available we produced a rolling and lifting formwork system to pour the wall.
The formwork involved a specifically made steel mould to produce a pattern along the wall at a constant RL as wall height increased and decreased. It was lifted into place by winches on a specially built mobile Gantry, which was clad for all weather protection and safety from trains. This methodology was employed as the wall was in some places just 1.5m from the train tracks. The Gantry moved along a track bolted to the concrete footing and was poured in two 5m sections every 2 days.
During the excavation and construction of the wall foundations work was completed within 100mm of the North Island main fibre optic cable. Enhancement work was completed along the length of the wall including a galvanised steel pedestrian barrier,lampposts footings and cast in sockets for steel lampposts.