http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2011/12/31/1226234/011212-west-tce.jpg
Go West for a pedestrian paradise
TODAY it is a vast, bleak slab of bitumen, with 60,000 cars fighting their way each day across 10 busy lanes, isolating the city from the west parklands.
Within a decade it could become an inviting, pedestrian and cycling-friendly green oasis with a vibrant cafe and apartment culture.

These images of West Tce, created by architects HASSELL, show the arterial road's future potential if it was redeveloped to prioritise people, cyclists and public transport, becoming a more inviting place to live and socialise.

The concept is based on ideas and discussions from forums for the 5000+ project, which is run by the Adelaide City Council and State Government and calls on CBD locals, shoppers and workers to submit ideas to help shape a long-term vision for inner Adelaide

Also suggesting an underground city loop and tram extensions into the inner metro area, the HASSELL's design aims to generate debate on ways to enliven city streets, make better use of the parklands and make the CBD an inviting place to live.

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"Wouldn't it be fantastic to live in a city where a koala could walk through the parklands to the River ... imagine how easy it would be for pedestrians and cyclists," HASSELL's response reads.

Integrated Design Commissioner Tim Horton said the image was about "taking steps so in five years' time West Tce can become a desirable place to live".

"At the moment we're hearing people say `who would want to live on West Tce?' ... these images are saying we don't need to see West Tce as it is today, we can change it."

Mr Horton said the design still allowed some car use, but that improved public transport would allow better traffic management and improve the street's liveability.

"By reducing the number of lanes we can buy back footpaths so you can put cafe tables and chairs there, landscape to make it more attractive, drive up property values and interest developers to create not single-storey camping stores, but six-storey apartments overlooking the parklands," he said. Hundreds of ideas have been uploaded by the community to social media sites as part of the 5000+ project, with creating "Great Streets" emerging as a key theme and the focus of this week's feature blog on the project's website.

Other suggestions have included charging a toll for cars entering the city; free public transport for people without vehicles; "bike only" hours on select CBD roads; and converting Hindley and Rundle streets into pedestrian malls.

Mr Horton urged inner Adelaide locals to visit the blog, consider the images, rate ideas and submit their own.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/go-west-for-a-pedestrian-paradise/story-e6frea83-1226234014708

Beautification of the street is much needed and welcome but West Terrace is easily the most free flowing road in the CBD (and it's surrounds for that matter) so then why the need to allow 'better traffic management' by penalizing motorists and trying to force them onto public transport which is usually inconvenient? Besides, most of the traffic is through traffic so I don't understand where the idea for charging tolls for vehicles entering the city relates to a redevelopment of the road...

And of course no one would want to live on West Terrace but then again - why would they when it is the gateway to an entire square mile of space ripe for residential development which the ACC just keep knocking back for pesky reasons.

^^ the Port Road southern extension (forgot road name) through Mile End and meeting up with South Road at Richmond has alread taken some pressue off the West Tce distributor, why not do more. Move the bulk of the West Tce traffic to a new roadway near the railway lines. We dont need to have this huge roadway in our city centre, and I dont feel sorry for any 1 person SUV's that use the city as through traffic that may (hopefully they will be delayed) be delayed. I would love the plan to come true

I agree and I would love the plan to come true as well but the article makes no mention of improving ring roads surrounding the city. I do believe however that the actual 5000plus plan includes a proposed route for a ring road around the CBD and North Adelaide.

It would be nice if this did happen, but we need to be realistic here. West Terrace is already home to a permanent massive cemetery, large car showrooms and over 60,000 motorists daily. So it be a extremely hard task to convert a 10-lane highway into a european style boulevard, bordered by cafes and mid-rise apartments.

An extension of the western city bypass would ease the traffic travelling north-south from Anzac Highway and vise versa, but there would still be thousands of motorists travelling into the city from Anzac Highway, Port and Goodwood Roads.

West Terrace isn't that bad really, it looks better since the recent upgrade and serves it's current purpose well by diverting traffic away from the central business district. The Riverbank and CBD core are more important issues at the moment.

I actually hope West Terrace stays as it is. It's not a cultural boulevard, it's a way for cars to get through the city. If everywhere was a European style, boulevard, it'd take an hour just to get through the city.
In reality, this render is a big fairytale but if it did happen,

- the power-walking lady would be giving the tram the finger
- the bicyclist and motorcyclist would be exchanging words
- the bicyclist to the faaarrr right would be trying to cross in front of the tram
- the dog would be mauling the kid

The kid being on their own in the middle of an island is pretty accurate though.

In saying this though, the road would look nice if it had some "Golden Grove" kind of trees on the Islands

http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2011/12/31/1226234/011212-west-tce.jpg


Is an abandoned toddler following a stray dog onto a bike path near a tram-line part of the West Tce vision? ;)

Aside that bizarre inclusion by the artist, its a good project. I like the idea of marked distance signs painted on the bike path.

More detailed information
http://5000plus.net.au/assets/f4321011bd461cebc85c21aa432318fb3feb645b/lote_final_report_web.pdf

The fantasy farm is a very out there idea and would never happen.

Won't happen

For sure building buildings all out towards West Terrace and putting in a proper ring round around the CBD and North Adelaide.

A farm? WTF!

i'll have moved back to the first world by then hopefully. hate this town. hate hate hate. i want to go home :(

sometimes i like it tho.

I get ya. Where are you from man?

Idea worth floating: Pool on the Torrens
http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2012/01/14/1226244/463109-torrens-pool.jpg
An artist's impression of how the Torrens Lake could look

A FLOATING swimming pool on the River Torrens where people can take a dip in the heart of the city without fear of polluted water is among innovative suggestions to enliven the CBD.
The concept - raised as part of the State Government and Adelaide City Council's 5000+ project - is based on The Badeschiff, a public pool floating on the River Spree in Berlin, Germany.

With surrounding decking, an artificial beach, a bar and a DJ, the pool was built from a converted old vessel in 2004 to enliven city life along a neglected stretch of the unsanitary River Spree.

Integrated Design Commissioner Tim Horton said the idea was one of many being raised by urban experts and the community to inject vibrancy into the city as part of the 5000+ project.

The project calls on city residents, shoppers and workers to submit ideas to help shape a long-term vision for the greater CBD.

Creating a "vibrant city" has emerged as a key theme among the 1000 ideas already uploaded to social media sites and is also the focus of this week's feature blog on the 5000+ website.

Mr Horton said the concept of a floating pool would help make the River Torrens, and the heart of the CBD, a "place of recreation" again.

"The riverbank where the city meets the water is a very important part of a vibrant city and for too long we have turned our back on the water," he said.

Other ideas to increase vibrancy have included creating more "studio spaces" in vacant sites around the CBD, building a big public rooftop garden with views of Adelaide and making laneways pedestrian-only to create cross-city walkways free of cars.

Mr Horton said more street parties, outdoor cinemas and performances - as are popular during February and March with the Clipsal 500, Fringe and Womad festivals - would also help to make Adelaide an "18-hour city" year-round.

"There's something delightful about sharing an experience with thousands of other people and sometimes Adelaide shies away from that because we have become used to empty streets and quiet places," he said. "It's trying to bring some of that energy into the city, its laneways, parks and squares."

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/idea-worth-floating-pool-on-the-torrens/story-e6frea6u-1226244464956

interesting idea, would be better on the city side though

They are already having free outdoor movies in the little square at Ebenezer Pl/Union St on Friday night. Went on Friday after having Burger theory however the moving showing was Princess Bride :lol:

I have one suggestion to submit, turn the multistorey carparks into something else

A floating pool hmm thats something different.

The West Tce pic is an interesting concept but I can't see it working mainly due to the reasons given by others. To develop that kind of pedestrian traffic (shown on the left) there needs to something happening on the right.

So you've finished sitting at a cafe with your mates, you cross the bike path and tram lines and continue your amazing urban life by doing what?

Sitting on the grass next to the cemetery? People like to be in environments that are defined and contained. Here you're surrounded on three sides by activity but then the open space on the right will act as a vacuum. Unless there are non stop events taking place in that parkland, I doubt it will be that busy.

I get ya. Where are you from man?

moved from qld last jan, this year is already off to a better start, i might enjoy sa yet lol

interesting idea, would be better on the city side though

They are already having free outdoor movies in the little square at Ebenezer Pl/Union St on Friday night. Went on Friday after having Burger theory however the moving showing was Princess Bride :lol:

I have one suggestion to submit, turn the multistorey carparks into something else

i would like to see a waterway created down west terrace side (i think theres a school there but ohwell) and maybe a fake beach/parklands south bankish but less theme parky. I also think a soccer stadium would be good over there somewhere. the parklands around the city are so underutilised, and it's disgusting that the eastern side is paid so much attention and the western side which is mostly just scrub. this needs to be rectified.

Adelaide reminds me of a big toowoomba - toowoomba had this fad where they started building 'international gardens', they only did 2 or three, but the concept was good, and the ones they did build a hugely popular - japanese gardens at the uni and i think new zeland gardens at lake annand, state rose garden, bird wetlands etc. i may be ignorant and sa probably already has these things. bunnings has invaded and there arn't even that many good garden centres :( but yeah, more water/lakes would be great.

and another thing, i'm sick of the bloody level crossings. sort it out.

and also, that pool idea is a bad.

So is this. :P

i would like to see a waterway created down west terrace side (i think theres a school there but ohwell) and maybe a fake beach/parklands south bankish but less theme parky. I also think a soccer stadium would be good over there somewhere. the parklands around the city are so underutilised, and it's disgusting that the eastern side is paid so much attention and the western side which is mostly just scrub. this needs to be rectified.

A fake beach would be a instant white elephant at that location, when there is perfectly good beaches only 15 minutes away. There is also the issue of three major roads, Adelaide High School and a large cemetery.

The western parklands aren't that bad, they are used regularly for community sports and some events. Including the recent Schutzenfest and this years Future Music Festival. The area alongside Sir Donald Bradman Drive could do with a revamp as it's the main gateway from the airport.

However the south and northern parklands are the worst and more like paddocks, except for a few exceptions like Veale Gardens, Adelaide-Himeji Gardens, Bonython Park, North Adelaide Golf Course etc

Probably, but I still think more water would be good - you could have it reticulating arouond the whole city, just needs a few pumps here and there.

The golf course adds greenery, but it's unfortunate it acts as a barrier to that side of the city.

What are the actual ideas they are wanting to do to the parklands, west terrace and victoria square.

Will they be reducing west terrace from 5x5 to 3x3 adding a tram line down west terrace, sending the traffic under victoria square ?