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Double-decker bridge to break the gridlock
By Darren Goodsir, Urban Affairs Editor
April 30, 2005
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Photo: Jon Reid
A four-lane motorway is likely to be "strapped on" to the undercarriage of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of an ambitious plan to ease the city's chronic road and train congestion.
It is understood a private consortium, led by Westpac and the construction giant Leightons, has been working closely on the project for nearly a year with State Government officials.
While a sub-deck of roadway would be added for motorists, one car lane would be removed from the top deck to make way for a new rail crossing.
Sources say key members of state cabinet have been given an overview of the emerging plan, called Project Star.
The Government's transport sustainability commissioner, Peter Newman, is refining various options, which are being examined enthusiastically by government ministers and public servants, the Herald has learned.
At least one new city railway station would be built, most likely near Wharf 8 on Hickson Road at East Darling Harbour, to take passengers away from Wynyard and Town Hall, which have dangerously overcrowded platforms in peak hour. A cheaper rail option, again involving at least one station, would run beneath Castlereagh Street.
Single-deck trains might be pioneered to integrate a more flexible and less costly system with the existing network, which is undergoing $1 billion in upgrades to untangle dozens of intersecting lines into five rail clearways.
An extra harbour tunnel is also being considered, but the cost is at least $2 billion more expensive than the "strap on" road option.
The Roads and Traffic Authority has backed an extra four-lane road for the bridge or a new tunnel as a minimum requirement for giving up crucial space on the bridge's existing road surface. Such a concession would allow for a second bus lane, northbound.
Senior ministers, including the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Craig Knowles, and the Minister for Roads, Michael Costa, have been extensively briefed on the plan, giving authority to the new transport co-ordination supremo, Mark Duffy, to develop it as part of the city's Metropolitan Strategy. Mr Newman has joined Government officials on a new transport review committee.
The plans build on a $30 billion, 40-year rail expansion blueprint submitted to cabinet in 2001 by the former trains boss, Ron Christie, as a way to prevent the network's strangulation. The Christie report promoted the urgency of another harbour crossing to avoid imminent rail gridlock.
The then Transport Minister, Carl Scully, rejected Mr Christie's 10-year timetable, saying it would not need to be completed until 2020 at the earliest.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National...ak-the-gridlock/2005/04/29/1114635748181.html
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Harbour crossing may help save rail
By Darren Goodsir, Urban Affairs Editor
April 30, 2005
The backers of a second railway on the Harbour Bridge believe passengers would flock to a new service, which would bring much-needed capacity to the city's overstretched lines.
The scheme is under serious Government consideration, though details of its possible route are scarce. It is likely that a new station would be built near East Darling Harbour, alongside a site identified by the Government for a one-kilometre long park next to office buildings on the old Patrick stevedoring site.
It is understood the consortium that has been working on the project, led by Westpac and Leightons, has undertaken detailed analysis on possible rail corridors and some buildings might have to be acquired or demolished.
One option, supported by consultants working on the Government's task force for the revitalisation of Parramatta Road, would take the line south from the Harbour Bridge through Glebe to link up with the rest of the network at Newtown station.
The long-term strategic plan for rail, prepared in 2001 for state cabinet by the former co-ordinator general of Rail, Ron Christie, argued for a Metro-style service with single-deck carriages through a second North Sydney station to Crows Nest, Naremburn, Willoughby and Chatswood. It might later be extended to Dee Why.
In 2001 Mr Christie said "operational paralysis" would afflict the network unless the Government adopted his plans, which called for five new lines, 80 new stations and expenditure of $22 billion on carriages and maintenance over 10 years.
"I am convinced that, without this level of minimum urgent and essential expenditure, the system will not cope, services will remain unreliable, on-time running will remain unacceptable and the effects on safety cannot be ruled out," Mr Christie warned.
The second harbour crossing idea has emerged in the wake of the Government's decision to suspend planning for the M4 East extension. The Roads Minister, Michael Costa, pushed for the road to be shelved pending a reassessment of transport needs to take account of traffic growth caused by the expansion of the Port Botany container terminal.
A truck-only tunnel from Port Botany to the M4 is one option being pursued by an integrated transport committee as part of the Government's metropolitan strategy for the next 25 years.
But a new rail link, expanding choked city centre lines, is one of the committee's most pressing priorities.
Since the Christie report was delivered, the network has become an embarrassment.
A driver shortage last year led to scores of services being cancelled at short notice; a new timetable was scrapped weeks before it was due to begin; and on some days not a single train was on time.
The Government is spending $1 billion on untangling intersecting lines and has promised to make all carriages air-conditioned by 2010.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National...-help-save-rail/2005/04/29/1114635748189.html
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I gave it a seperate thread since it's kind of a both road and rail issue.
Comments? Hornetfigs (I'm onto you
) has already pointed out that the road approaches may be a problem given lack of land at either end of the bridge.
But with scant details, the possibilites are endless.
By Darren Goodsir, Urban Affairs Editor
April 30, 2005
Photo: Jon Reid
A four-lane motorway is likely to be "strapped on" to the undercarriage of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of an ambitious plan to ease the city's chronic road and train congestion.
It is understood a private consortium, led by Westpac and the construction giant Leightons, has been working closely on the project for nearly a year with State Government officials.
While a sub-deck of roadway would be added for motorists, one car lane would be removed from the top deck to make way for a new rail crossing.
Sources say key members of state cabinet have been given an overview of the emerging plan, called Project Star.
The Government's transport sustainability commissioner, Peter Newman, is refining various options, which are being examined enthusiastically by government ministers and public servants, the Herald has learned.
At least one new city railway station would be built, most likely near Wharf 8 on Hickson Road at East Darling Harbour, to take passengers away from Wynyard and Town Hall, which have dangerously overcrowded platforms in peak hour. A cheaper rail option, again involving at least one station, would run beneath Castlereagh Street.
Single-deck trains might be pioneered to integrate a more flexible and less costly system with the existing network, which is undergoing $1 billion in upgrades to untangle dozens of intersecting lines into five rail clearways.
An extra harbour tunnel is also being considered, but the cost is at least $2 billion more expensive than the "strap on" road option.
The Roads and Traffic Authority has backed an extra four-lane road for the bridge or a new tunnel as a minimum requirement for giving up crucial space on the bridge's existing road surface. Such a concession would allow for a second bus lane, northbound.
Senior ministers, including the Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Craig Knowles, and the Minister for Roads, Michael Costa, have been extensively briefed on the plan, giving authority to the new transport co-ordination supremo, Mark Duffy, to develop it as part of the city's Metropolitan Strategy. Mr Newman has joined Government officials on a new transport review committee.
The plans build on a $30 billion, 40-year rail expansion blueprint submitted to cabinet in 2001 by the former trains boss, Ron Christie, as a way to prevent the network's strangulation. The Christie report promoted the urgency of another harbour crossing to avoid imminent rail gridlock.
The then Transport Minister, Carl Scully, rejected Mr Christie's 10-year timetable, saying it would not need to be completed until 2020 at the earliest.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National...ak-the-gridlock/2005/04/29/1114635748181.html
********
Harbour crossing may help save rail
By Darren Goodsir, Urban Affairs Editor
April 30, 2005
The backers of a second railway on the Harbour Bridge believe passengers would flock to a new service, which would bring much-needed capacity to the city's overstretched lines.
The scheme is under serious Government consideration, though details of its possible route are scarce. It is likely that a new station would be built near East Darling Harbour, alongside a site identified by the Government for a one-kilometre long park next to office buildings on the old Patrick stevedoring site.
It is understood the consortium that has been working on the project, led by Westpac and Leightons, has undertaken detailed analysis on possible rail corridors and some buildings might have to be acquired or demolished.
One option, supported by consultants working on the Government's task force for the revitalisation of Parramatta Road, would take the line south from the Harbour Bridge through Glebe to link up with the rest of the network at Newtown station.
The long-term strategic plan for rail, prepared in 2001 for state cabinet by the former co-ordinator general of Rail, Ron Christie, argued for a Metro-style service with single-deck carriages through a second North Sydney station to Crows Nest, Naremburn, Willoughby and Chatswood. It might later be extended to Dee Why.
In 2001 Mr Christie said "operational paralysis" would afflict the network unless the Government adopted his plans, which called for five new lines, 80 new stations and expenditure of $22 billion on carriages and maintenance over 10 years.
"I am convinced that, without this level of minimum urgent and essential expenditure, the system will not cope, services will remain unreliable, on-time running will remain unacceptable and the effects on safety cannot be ruled out," Mr Christie warned.
The second harbour crossing idea has emerged in the wake of the Government's decision to suspend planning for the M4 East extension. The Roads Minister, Michael Costa, pushed for the road to be shelved pending a reassessment of transport needs to take account of traffic growth caused by the expansion of the Port Botany container terminal.
A truck-only tunnel from Port Botany to the M4 is one option being pursued by an integrated transport committee as part of the Government's metropolitan strategy for the next 25 years.
But a new rail link, expanding choked city centre lines, is one of the committee's most pressing priorities.
Since the Christie report was delivered, the network has become an embarrassment.
A driver shortage last year led to scores of services being cancelled at short notice; a new timetable was scrapped weeks before it was due to begin; and on some days not a single train was on time.
The Government is spending $1 billion on untangling intersecting lines and has promised to make all carriages air-conditioned by 2010.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National...-help-save-rail/2005/04/29/1114635748189.html
********
I gave it a seperate thread since it's kind of a both road and rail issue.
Comments? Hornetfigs (I'm onto you
) has already pointed out that the road approaches may be a problem given lack of land at either end of the bridge.But with scant details, the possibilites are endless.
