PUBLIC TRANSPORT | Projects + News + Gallery

[kegan]

Briefly mentioned in this article in the Dominion Post that Snapper is bidding for Ecan's new smartcard system (metrocard replacement).

[canterburywatch]

Extension of the new Southern Motorway from the Springs Roads/Halswell Junction Road roundabout to reconnect with Main South Road south of Waterholes Road.

NZTA link: http://www.transit.govt.nz/projects/...87&action=edit

[Davee]

Originally Posted by canterburywatch

Extension of the new Southern Motorway from the Springs Roads/Halswell Junction Road roundabout to reconnect with Main South Road south of Waterholes Road.

NZTA link: http://www.transit.govt.nz/projects/...87&action=edit

This makes much more sense. I think they have made up their minds already. It's obvious this is the best move for CHC and SI - just get on and do it

[KaneD]

The new $119 million Christchurch bus exchange will create an urban park, taking up a central city block, with a large glass dome at its heart.

The city council has bought, or is in negotiations to buy, every property on the block bounded by Durham, Tuam, Lichfield and Colombo streets, with a budget of $32m.

The warehouses, retail buildings and car parks will be cleared to make way for construction of an underground bus exchange in the centre of the block.

The exchange will be one of the largest building projects undertaken by the council, bigger than the $87m ocean-outfall pipeline and the new $105m civic building.

The $119m budget for the exchange includes $28m already spent on land and planning costs, as well as $92m budgeted for extra land and construction of the complex by 2014.

The budget has risen from $59.7m in 2006 as the project has expanded. It is about 33 per cent funded by government grants, and the rest by council borrowing.

The glass dome will bring natural light into the six metre-deep underground passenger lounge. Passengers will reach the lounge on escalators from Colombo St.

Buses will enter and leave the underground interchange on ramps, merging with traffic in Lichfield and Tuam streets.

Mayor Bob Parker said the decision to put the exchange underground was driven by concerns for pedestrian safety.

The present exchange, which is operating beyond capacity after just eight years, involves pedestrians crossing the path of buses entering and leaving.

"That was a really compelling driver for the underground option," Parker said.

"It gets the buses out of this highly pedestrian-focused area and creates a safer environment. It was a no-brainer."

The exchange deals with 110 buses going in and out over the busiest hour, but the new complex will be built to cope with 370 buses in and out during the busiest hour by 2040.

Parker said the new public space would be a "new form of central city park, raising the amenity value of that whole area", and could feature public art.

The space will eventually be developed when the council sell rights to build hotels, office space or apartments. The foundations of the exchange will be strengthened to allow tall buildings either side of the bus exchange site.

One option being considered is to build an $83m central library on the bus exchange site, with construction planned to begin in 2019.

Parker said the new exchange would mark a shift in inner-city regeneration efforts from the City Mall to bus-plagued and tired-looking Colombo St

This sounds impressive - If the whole exchange is going underground with a park on top - Will the park take up the whole block at ground level or will some of the land be built upon?

Further down the track (pun!) I'd like to see rail lines built under Lichfield or Tuam streets with underground platforms meeting up with the exchange. Then we can get the trains into town.

[greenwelly]

Originally Posted by KaneD

This sounds impressive - If the whole exchange is going underground with a park on top - Will the park take up the whole block at ground level or will some of the land be built upon?

Further down the track (pun!) I'd like to see rail lines built under Lichfield or Tuam streets with underground platforms meeting up with the exchange. Then we can get the trains into town.

Underground Bus stations can be tricky to get right, they tend to end up being dark, smelly and generally unpleasant.

The trick is to dig the hole deeper than one story and have at least a double height ceiling that is interesting and stunning.

Something like the ones in the DC metro comes to mind

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by greenwelly

Underground Bus stations can be tricky to get right, they tend to end up being dark, smelly and generally unpleasant.

The trick is to dig the hole deeper than one story and have at least a double height ceiling that is interesting and stunning.

I agree that underground bus stations are very difficult to get right. Northampton had an enclosed (and thus seemingly underground) bus station which was nothing short of unpleasant. It got featured on Britain's worst buildings (our claim to fame other than Doc Martin boots).

I'm sure that Chch will manage it well though given that NZ has only a few underground infrastructure projects and the most recent (Britomart) is generally a resounding success even if it wasn't properly future-proofed.

[metroman]

This will be awesome. Where exactly is it going?

[Milan Luka]

hurrah! Official announcement! This deserves its own thread.

metroman- this will be taking up one half of the land on the Colombo/Lichfield/Durham/St Asaph block. The bus entrance/exits will be on Lichfield and St Asaph. The main pedestrian accesses will be on Colombo Street- roughly where a sex shop was recently housed and also on Lichfield street directly across from the Ballantynes car park. My camera will be purchased in 2 weeks time so expect photos of the area soon!

A number of businesses will be bought but a large part of the area is actually car parking space currently.

The current exchange is ok but obviously outgrew itself in the first six months of operation! And all Christchurch citizens scratch their heads at the bus entrances which cut across the very busy pedestrian footpaths.

I do like the idea of 'housing' to be built on site but I doubt that will be desirable. In my experience all bus/train exchanges are not the most relaxing areas and really the last place anybody would want to live. Thankfully we dont have a great deal of druggos or nutters here but this would be were they would hang out as happens in others cities- especially if you put the public library here too!

I look forward to seeing it all take place.

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by Milan Luka

I do like the idea of 'housing' to be built on site but I doubt that will be desirable. In my experience all bus/train exchanges are not the most relaxing areas and really the last place anybody would want to live. Thankfully we dont have a great deal of druggos or nutters here but this would be were they would hang out as happens in others cities- especially if you put the public library here too!

Not something I've noticed, Milan to be honest. If anything, living near a metro station is highly desirable for example.

[metroman]

the article says that the foundations will be strengthened to allow taller buildings to be built on either side of the exchange. There will also be a public park. This project alone will give the innercity of Christchurch a tremendous transformation. Bob has indicated that taller buildings will be built in Christchurch, is it realistic to expect an iconic tower or at least a respectable skyline in years to come? I think Christchurch is well on its way to developing perhaps the best cbd in New Zealand.

[jarbury]

Certainly an exciting project. I agree that it's important to work hard to get the architecture of the bus station right - there are some damn unpleasant underground bus stations around the world.

What's Brisbane's one like does anyone know?

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by jarbury

What's Brisbane's one like does anyone know?

I've not seen it since its latest incarnation, however, as I hinted earlier in this thread, Queen Street Bus Station used to be absolutely dire back in 2004. I hated the concept of dirty, polluting buses going underground and spewing their filth everywhere - hence why the design of this terminal needs to be top-notch.

Having seen Britomart since visiting the QS Bus Station I'm a little less hot-headed regarding the issue of internal combustion engines in a more confined space - though Britomart can get rather blue and hazy at times which can be fairly obnoxious.

[metroman]

There is a bus station underneath King George Square. It is reasonable. I will be going into the city next week so I will give you are better idea. The busway system in Brisbane is very much like travelling on a train to some extent as much of it is underground.

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by metroman

There is a bus station underneath King George Square. It is reasonable. I will be going into the city next week so I will give you are better idea. The busway system in Brisbane is very much like travelling on a train to some extent as much of it is underground.

The way they drive there? Nothing like being on a train - it's noisy and, for the non-CNG buses, polluted. Sorry, but I really don't like the busway concept for large cities like Brisbane.

[metroman]

The Northern bus way has just been completed and seems to have been fairly successful. It is just a matter of time before Brisbane get light rail. There is also a massive project being built which will connect the Brisbane cbd with the airport. It will be interesting to see whether a series of bus stations are built in Christchurch as is happening in Queensland which are interconnected, as opposed to just one large one.

[KaneD]

The council doesn't have plans to build bus stations around the city in the context of the central city exchange, but it has realigned many routes to create 'transit hubs' in various locations around the city, typically in major shopping areas. This, along with a few 'non-radial' bus routes such as the Orbiter and MetroStar are helping to make getting around the city by bus far easier than it ever used to be.

A quick glance at the 'metro' map shows these key locations where there are more than 5 routes passing through:

1) Hornby (7 routes)
2) Barrington (5 routes)
3) Riccarton (10 routes)
4) Sydenham (7 routes)
5) Merivale (6 routes)
6) Papanui (7 routes)
7) Linwood (8 routes)
8) New Brighton (7 routes)
9) Shirley (6 routes)

What I do think is that the metroinfo.org.nz site is a little lacking - the maps are poor, the 'interactive' map doesn't work at all preperly and uses SVG player which is all but discontinued.

Another question... What will the old exchange be used for once it has been vacated? Presumably it will be gutted and refitted as retail/offices

[Brisol]

was talking around poplar lane and the tram despite objection is planned to come down the lane. any one know anything about this? has something to do with the tram having no place to turn around....apparently

[metroman]

Huge hole planned for $119 million bus exchange/www.stuff.co.nz

[Davee]

Originally Posted by metroman

Huge hole planned for $119 million bus exchange/www.stuff.co.nz

This project needs it's own Thread.....................

[frew]

The councils planning on building several bus lanes around the city on main bus routes shortly. I think I read something that said the first bus lane would be built on papanui rd very shortly, and one on Colombo St should be finished by about March next year. Plus one for Riccarton Rd and a couple of other streets.

If these actually work, it will be huge for Public Transport. It could make a bus trip during peak traffic faster than a car trip, and it will certainly reduce the time difference between buses and cars.

For public transport to succeed, trip times have to be comparable to car times, simply being cheaper isn't enough.

In addition to the bus lanes, priority bus lights will also help.

Heres a link http://www.ccc.govt.nz/BusPriority/