Midtown is heading into one of its biggest summers yet.
Buses are set to return to the full length of Albert Street for the first time in almost ten years, construction progresses along Wellesley Street, and the final stages of the wastewater and streetscape upgrades are underway, lining up before the City Rail Link (CRL) opens in 2026.
“Each milestone brings us closer to a midtown that works better for everyone,” says Simon Oddie, Priority Location Director - City Centre.
“People will start to feel the difference as new bus routes, wider footpaths and upgraded public spaces come together.”
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, guided by the City Centre Masterplan, our long-term vision for a thriving city centre.
If you haven’t been to the city centre lately, here’s a recap of some of the recent upgrades you might’ve missed.
Albert Street as the key North/South bus corridor
The entire length of Albert Street will be open to buses and general traffic from 29 November 2025.
The street became a construction trench in 2016 to build the cut-and-cover CRL tunnels, but it is now completely back in action. The street holds four lanes of traffic – the two outer lanes serving buses, the two inner lanes for general traffic.
This transit corridor marks a major milestone towards midtown’s redevelopment in the lead-up to CRL opening in 2026, turning the intersection of Wellesley and Albert Streets into one of the key transport hubs in Auckland.
Upgrading Wellesley Street
As public transport capacity increases above and below ground, Wellesley Street is being upgraded to serve as one of the key East/West bus corridors in the city centre.
Construction on the north side is nearly complete, with bus shelters in the final stages of installation, while paving work has moved to the south side outside Te Waihorotiu Station.
Completion of stage one of the Wellesley Street Bus Improvements is expected by March 2026, which means four large new bus shelters, dedicated bus lanes, wider footpaths and safer crossings, and new trees and seating.
The next piece of this puzzle is Wellesley Street stage two – between Albert Street, the new International Convention Centre, and Victoria Park, which will be open for public consultation next year.
Progress on Te Hā Noa
Aucklanders can move around more of the city centre on two wheels, as the cycleway along Victoria Street from Federal Street through to Queen Street is now open.
The completed two-way cycleway along Victoria Street West connects Victoria Park and the Nelson Street cycleway to Queen Street, unlocking a new east/west section of the city centre cycle network.
Te Hā Noa is the city centre’s new green link, providing more space for pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters and other micromobility to navigate town, separated from cars and other traffic.
The next step of the project will be opening the footpath between Elliott and Federal Streets, which remains behind fences while CRL station testing and commissioning continues. And, the final section of the Victoria Street landscaping works (between Queen and Lorne Streets) will kick off in Autumn, as Watercare prepares to hand the site over upon completing the new wastewater connection in this area.
Te Hā Noa cycleway at the corner of Queen and Victoria Streets.
Midtown wastewater diversion
Watercare’s work on the midtown wastewater diversion project is moving into its next phase. The micro tunnel boring machine has finished its underground journey down Queen Street.
Crews are now building permanent access points to the tunnel at Mayoral Drive, Wellesley Street, and Victoria Street East. The Wellesley Street manhole is almost complete, with the other two sites to commence building in the new year.
Watercare expects to remove the hoardings at Mayoral Drive and Wellesley Street East by April 2026. At this stage, work is due to begin on the final section of Te Hā Noa at Victoria Street East (as mentioned above).
Planning for the next stage of work, Mayoral Drive through to Marmion Street, is already underway, and scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026.
Vincent Street bus and cycleway improvements
We are making improvements to Vincent Street to better support people travelling in and around the city centre. Buses will return to Vincent Street (as well as Albert Street) from 29 November, and we’re installing a two-way cycle lane and carrying out maintenance work. This will help provide smoother and safer journeys for all forms of transport.
Private Sector Development
Midtown continues to be a hotspot for private sector investment, with a mix of completed, underway, and upcoming projects:
Completed developments include:
- Spark’s new head office on Albert Street
- Hotel Indigo, located on the former Chamber of Commerce site
- Holiday Inn Express and Voco Hotel on Wyndham Street
- The Formery by Alberts – new office suites and amenities
Projects currently underway or set to begin:
- Heritage-listed Bledisloe House, undergoing refurbishment, with 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.
- DoubleTree Hilton on Albert Street
- Faradays Department store opening on Queen Street
- New purpose-built student accommodation development commences at 256 Queen Street, led by Precinct Properties
- New retail and hospitality, as well as the Radisson Red Hotel at 280 Queen Street.
As reported in 2024, 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 projects are part of building a city centre that works better for everyone. That means safer, more reliable travel through the City Rail Link network and bus routes, better walking and cycling options, smarter infrastructure, and greener public spaces.
Midtown timeline at a glance
Complete as of November 2025
- Majority of works on Albert Street, Mayoral Drive, and Vincent Street – reopen to buses, connecting Britomart to Karangahape Road and beyond in a continuous north/south link.
- Wellesley Street Bus Improvements, stage one – northern side completion; southern side construction underway.
- Midtown Wastewater Upgrade – shaft construction - Complete.
- Albert Street heritage Bluestone Wall reinstatement – Complete.
- Federal Street upgrade – Complete.
- Queen Street upgrade – Complete.
- Myers Park upgrade, featuring artwork Waimahara by Graham Tipene – Complete.
- Two-way cycle lane installed on Vincent Street – Complete as of December 2025.
Te Hā Noa:
- Cycleway from Victoria Park and Queen Street – Complete.
- Linear park from Lorne Street to Kitchener Street – Complete.
- Linear park from Albert Street to Queen Street – Complete.
First half of 2026
- Construction hoardings removed from Watercare sites at Wellesley Street, Victoria Street, and Mayoral Drive.
- Site handover from Watercare to Te Hā Noa at Victoria Street.
- Construction begins on the final section of Te Hā Noa (Queen to Lorne Street).
- Mayoral Drive wastewater upgrades begin (Queen Street to Grand Millennium).
Late 2026
- Te Hā Noa connection fully opens, including the section from Queen Street to Lorne Street.
The City Rail Link stations are set to open in 2026, with the official opening date to be confirmed.
