Re: Adelaide Airport rail link
Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:33 am
That's a very well researched post you have there, Mr. Hell. From a practical perspective, if the intent of the link is to ensure travel to and from the airport with minimal interruption (in other words, the opposite function to that of the tram's course down Jetty Rd, for example), then either the drain option or the Richmond Road option fit this intent best.
With that said, I think that the tram running down either Sir Don Drive or Henley Beach Rd would be quite aesthetically pleasing, but as you rightly point out, the limitations of space for rail-based public transport, buses, cars and trucks all on roads that function as main thoroughfares into the CBD would, I imagine, cause quite significant congestion especially given the assumed high frequency of airport transfers. Jetty Rd. shows how quite narrow streets carrying relatively high volumes of traffic can handle trams down their centre (and I imagine there are many examples of this in Melbourne, too), but the reciprocal of that is increased travelling time over shorter distances. Ideally speaking, I'd like Sir Don Drive or Henley Beach Rd. to be wider than they are, and have the tram running down the centre like King William St., but that isn't feasible.
We then have to ask ourselves the point of making a public transport service available that offers approximately the same travelling time as a JetBus, with the same issues of congestion on busy CBD approach roads. It doesn't really make sense to spend money on a new service that won't offer a distinct travel-time or comfort advantage over existing services, if the intent is an airport/city link (as opposed to a service for the suburbs of Lockleys, Hilton, Cowandilla etc. in their entirety). Therefore, the drain and Richmond Rd. options come into play more strongly.
I suspect there would be difficulties with the drain option - there are certainly examples of successful construction over drains, but I seem to recall quite a ruckus over the apparent lack of preparedness of the drain and stormwater system across the western suburbs in the event of a significant flood. Would it be possible for what appears to be quite a narrow channel to handle both upgraded drainage systems, as well as some form of rail-based transport system? I agree, too, that this option passes perilously close to the backyards of residents in many places.
In the context of the Richmond Rd. option, it has some of the advantages of the drain option (utilising open land rather than existing roadspace), and travels along areas already popularised by businesses, which in turn minimises the impact on residential areas. This route also passes by the Mawson TAFE, I believe, which could justify a stop there, but does that then defeat the purpose of our speedy airport/city link by diverting far enough away from a direct route that it saves no more time than just heading straight down a busy Henley Beach Rd?
As mentioned previously, of course, if the focus shifts towards usage by the suburbs between the airport and the CBD, then the routes along already busy thoroughfares become slightly more desirable to take advantages of areas with a thriving population of businesses and residences alike. Similarly, if high volumes of traffic currently use Sir Don Drive to get into town, might it be easier to convince people to use a light-rail option instead if it heads down this road of which a majority are familiar as a route into town, rather than through open-space areas located further away from where people are used to interacting with some form of personal or public transportation?
With that said, I think that the tram running down either Sir Don Drive or Henley Beach Rd would be quite aesthetically pleasing, but as you rightly point out, the limitations of space for rail-based public transport, buses, cars and trucks all on roads that function as main thoroughfares into the CBD would, I imagine, cause quite significant congestion especially given the assumed high frequency of airport transfers. Jetty Rd. shows how quite narrow streets carrying relatively high volumes of traffic can handle trams down their centre (and I imagine there are many examples of this in Melbourne, too), but the reciprocal of that is increased travelling time over shorter distances. Ideally speaking, I'd like Sir Don Drive or Henley Beach Rd. to be wider than they are, and have the tram running down the centre like King William St., but that isn't feasible.
We then have to ask ourselves the point of making a public transport service available that offers approximately the same travelling time as a JetBus, with the same issues of congestion on busy CBD approach roads. It doesn't really make sense to spend money on a new service that won't offer a distinct travel-time or comfort advantage over existing services, if the intent is an airport/city link (as opposed to a service for the suburbs of Lockleys, Hilton, Cowandilla etc. in their entirety). Therefore, the drain and Richmond Rd. options come into play more strongly.
I suspect there would be difficulties with the drain option - there are certainly examples of successful construction over drains, but I seem to recall quite a ruckus over the apparent lack of preparedness of the drain and stormwater system across the western suburbs in the event of a significant flood. Would it be possible for what appears to be quite a narrow channel to handle both upgraded drainage systems, as well as some form of rail-based transport system? I agree, too, that this option passes perilously close to the backyards of residents in many places.
In the context of the Richmond Rd. option, it has some of the advantages of the drain option (utilising open land rather than existing roadspace), and travels along areas already popularised by businesses, which in turn minimises the impact on residential areas. This route also passes by the Mawson TAFE, I believe, which could justify a stop there, but does that then defeat the purpose of our speedy airport/city link by diverting far enough away from a direct route that it saves no more time than just heading straight down a busy Henley Beach Rd?
As mentioned previously, of course, if the focus shifts towards usage by the suburbs between the airport and the CBD, then the routes along already busy thoroughfares become slightly more desirable to take advantages of areas with a thriving population of businesses and residences alike. Similarly, if high volumes of traffic currently use Sir Don Drive to get into town, might it be easier to convince people to use a light-rail option instead if it heads down this road of which a majority are familiar as a route into town, rather than through open-space areas located further away from where people are used to interacting with some form of personal or public transportation?