Australian Freeways and Roads

[KJBrissy]

It is too built up and the land resumptions/tunnelling would cost a lot more!

[KIWIKAAS]

Originally Posted by cammo2004

You'd never be able to extend it much anyway.

Having said that, note the plan mentions a proposed "cut and cover" tunnel. Even then, I'd suggest that it's likely that one could still cover over the motorway and extend the runway. It's not unheard of - General Holmes Dr. In Sydney passes under the airport.

The rail corridor option has me scratching my head though. Wouldn't it be easier to keep the alignment within Queensland?!? At worst, it'd allow for an extension to a "Coolangatta Beach" station at a later date, which could serve as the local interchange point.

The runway has already been extended and the road tunnel already built.
Take a look at the pics. The tunnel in question is even pictured.

Said tunnel under runway

Originally Posted by KJBrissy

They would be more likely move it entirely rather than expand it. it is too close some hilly land to the North.

But they are expanding the airport. The runway has been lengthened and there are plans for terminal expansion.
Don'y know where you get the notion that they will build a new airport from.

Originally Posted by KJBrissy

It is too built up and the land resumptions/tunnelling would cost a lot more!

Once again. It's already happened
Check out the masterplan on the Gold Coast Airport site. It's all there.

[cammo2004]

Originally Posted by KIWIKAAS

The runway has already been extended and the road tunnel already built.
Take a look at the pics. The tunnel in question is even pictured.

Said tunnel under runway




But they are expanding the airport. The runway has been lengthened and there are plans for terminal expansion.
Don'y know where you get the notion that they will build a new airport from.



Once again. It's already happened
Check out the masterplan on the Gold Coast Airport site. It's all there.

Yeah, I realised that after I posted. lol

I think that KJ Brissy was referring to my idea of changing the alignment of the rail line and extending said rail extension into Coolangatta Proper instead of doing that awkward turn... (all underground, of course!)

[mic]

Alexandra Avenue, Southbank Peakhour

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr



Monash Freeway Peakhour

image hosted on flickr

[coastal]

Originally Posted by cammo2004

The rail corridor option has me scratching my head though. Wouldn't it be easier to keep the alignment within Queensland?!? At worst, it'd allow for an extension to a "Coolangatta Beach" station at a later date, which could serve as the local interchange point.

I hope the NSW government has insisted on Standard gauge for the NSW section of the railway.

[invincible]

It's not the first railway from interstate which has crossed into NSW.

The former Victorian Railways once had lines which crossed to border to service towns like Deniliquin, and there is still the short section in Albury.

[crazyknightsfan]

Originally Posted by invincible

It's not the first railway from interstate which has crossed into NSW.

The former Victorian Railways once had lines which crossed to border to service towns like Deniliquin, and there is still the short section in Albury.

Victoria still owns trackage in NSW to Oaklands and Moulamein.

Oaklands is an interesting little place - a well maintained broad gauge line leads south but the line to Sydney (via the Main South) is overgrown and long abandoned.

[city_thing]

Those pictures are really good Mic. Thanks for posting.

[BRIZZIE BOY]

Originally Posted by coastal

I hope the NSW government has insisted on Standard gauge for the NSW section of the railway.

How would that work for the narrow gauge trains that will be using the line to the airport. NSW would need to have their own rolling stock between the last 2 stations. Pretty sure anyone traveling on the train wont want to change after 1 stop.

[crazyknightsfan]

Originally Posted by coastal

I hope the NSW government has insisted on Standard gauge for the NSW section of the railway.

[KIWIKAAS]

What an anal discussion!
It's essentially a QLD line that happens to pass into NSW briefly at it's end point. You don't really consider for 1 milli second that the guages and trains will change at the border do you?. Whatever guage or rolling stock is used will be determined by what's on the QLD side.
Really!

[trentthomson]

Ummm... I think coastal was joking?

[KIWIKAAS]

Oops! Sucked in

[Theville01]

Crossing the Bohle

LIZ McKINNON

16Aug07

TOWNSVILLE'S biggest ever road project is taking shape as contractors prepare to hit the biggest obstacle – crossing the Bohle River.

In an exclusive interview, Premier Peter Beattie yesterday revealed the next stage of the $119 million Ring Road was about to start with two new bridges to be built over the Bohle River and Little Bohle River.

It will take more than a year to build and the Government has given twin cities residents naming rights of the new city crossings.

Thuringowa MP Craig Wallace said it was the community's chance to keep the name Thuringowa alive before it was lost when the twin cities' councils became one in March.

Mr Beattie said the work, which included driving 35m piles into the ground, was scheduled to start in September.

He said the piles had started being delivered so work could start on the 200m-long, eight-span bridge over the Bohle River and the 90m, five-span bridge over the Little Bohle.

The project is set to be finished by September, 2008.

"The community is no doubt looking forward to the benefits this project will bring by providing a more direct link to the Bruce Highway north of Townsville, via Shaw Road," Mr Beattie said.

"The Ring Road also means traffic not destined for Townsville can bypass the city's urban areas.

"It will provide a more direct route for many suburbs to access major facilities such as the Townsville Hospital, James Cook University and Lavarack Army base."

More than 82,000 man hours have already been clocked up by the more than 85 employees working on the project since April.

The 7km route will link the Douglas Arterial Bridge at Riverway Drive to Herveys Range Rd and extend to Shaw Rd.

Already a 7m-high embankment has been built on the southern approach to the Herveys Range Rd/Ring Road intersection.

Transport Minister Paul Lucas said more than 100,000 cubic metres of locally excavated material had been used to build the embankment and one for the northern approaches.

He said bridge piles had been driven in on the southern approach for the Herveys Range Ring Rd overpass.

While excitement was building on the new route, Herbert MP Peter Lindsay announced that Federal Roads Minister Jim Lloyd would visit Townsville to face the heat on the North's Bruce Highway campaign.

Mr Lindsay said, as promised, Mr Lloyd would visit to meet the members of the road summit on September 5.

"This is an important meeting and I stand shoulder to shoulder with mayors seeking to have the problems on the Bruce Highway resolved," Mr Lindsay said.

Mr Wallace said he would pressure Mr Lloyd to answer their calls for the $2 billion needed to fix the deteriorating stretch from Townsville to Cairns.

[Theville01]

Originally Posted by mic

Alexandra Avenue, Southbank Peakhour

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr



Monash Freeway Peakhour

image hosted on flickr

Thats starting to look like the townsville roads, seriously its absoltly pathetic 2 lane roads n the traffic is backed up for miles, weve got the huge population boom but we dont have the infrastructure implace to cope, the roads are absolotey terrible especially the bruce highway lukey the new bypass should ease the cajestion its an actual motorway to

[invincible]

Alexandra Pde has sort of been duplicated by the CityLink tunnels, and the section of the Monash Freeway in that picture is between the portals for the two tunnels, so there is only one southbound lane (to four northbound) because the main section of the freeway in that direction is underground.

Besides, if you're driving around the city in Melbourne (yes, it gets congested both ways during the evening), you have to accept that there will be massive congestion, and nothing can be done to fix it short of a 20 lane monstrosity. That's why there's a tax on CBD parking spots.

[Joelby]

They really need to extend the railway from Murwillumbah up to the border. I'm sure people would use a more localised service from as far south as Ballina to travel to the Gold Coast. Even if it were QLD rolling stock. It's a shambles that there's about 30km between the ends of each line. Anyways... prolly not for this thread...

[Avatar]

Originally Posted by invincible

Alexandra Pde has sort of been duplicated by the CityLink tunnels, and the section of the Monash Freeway in that picture is between the portals for the two tunnels, so there is only one southbound lane (to four northbound) because the main section of the freeway in that direction is underground.

Besides, if you're driving around the city in Melbourne (yes, it gets congested both ways during the evening), you have to accept that there will be massive congestion, and nothing can be done to fix it short of a 20 lane monstrosity. That's why there's a tax on CBD parking spots.

Your city parking is still far cheaper than ours, some of our parking can be more than an annual wage.

[Gertzy]

Here are a couple more pictures from the Douglas Arterial Road in Townsville.

[Macca-GC]

Originally Posted by Joelby

They really need to extend the railway from Murwillumbah up to the border. I'm sure people would use a more localised service from as far south as Ballina to travel to the Gold Coast. Even if it were QLD rolling stock. It's a shambles that there's about 30km between the ends of each line. Anyways... prolly not for this thread...

The rail line doesn't go to Murwillumbah. It ends at Casino now. The NSW opposition has promised to reopen it I think. However, I do agree that the CityTrain network should be extended down to Murwillumbah.