PRO: Oaklands Rail Overpass

[crawf]

One of the biggest costs in building a road bridge, IMO, is associated with buying the properties / compensating the owners along the western side of Diagonal Road just north of the rail crossing. Apart from this, the bridge would need to have a bend in it, which adds to cost, and several streets (Railway Tce, Morphett Rd (northern part), Addison Rd) would lose their connection to Diagonal Road. The rail bridge makes far more sense to me, although I admit it's a pity the station has only recently been built.

There is no good reason to build it on the western side of Diagonal Road when there's so much free space on the eastern side!

But it's in a primarily residential area, and an overpass (rail or road) would be rather noisy. The station was designed to be compatible with an underpass, and that's what they should build.

Looks like the station wasn't built for either a rail underpass or overpass.

Rail overpass would probably be cheaper and a better option.

[metro]

I had a look thorugh this site and the government's own infrastructure sites collecting info on similar projects. The rail bridge I assume would be a similar project to the tram overpass at south road, that project cost about $30m, but assuming a rail bridge has to be bigger and stronger will cost twice that, so $60m plus the $10m wasted cost of Oaklands station gives us about a $70m figure. The Mawson Interchange project including a road bridge+ station cost about $30-40m. The South Rd/Anzac Hwy road underpass cost over $120m. Lastly for a rail underpass I had to look at Melbourne with the rebuild of their Nunawading Station which is now a rail underpass, it was $120m. All of these projects took about 6-12months to build.

So from least expensive to most expensive:

Road Bridge ~$20m-$40m (including cost of property acquisitions), months of roadworks and construction delays to road users, minor disruption to rail commuters. Also $10m saved by not demolishing the 3 year old oaklands station.

Rail Bridge ~$50m-$80m, more disruptive to rail users. Little to no property acquisition. But cost includes the ~$10m wasted of demolishing the brand new Oaklands station which would probably be the same as acquiring property anyways.

Road Underpass ~$100m-$140m (includes cost of property, same as the road bridge), months of roadworks and delays to both road and rail users.

Rail Underpass ~$120m

[Aidan]

Looks like the station wasn't built for either a rail underpass or overpass.

It was built to be compatible with a road underpass. If you look at Nearmap or Google, they left space for it between the crossing and the end of the platforms.

I had a look thorugh this site and the government's own infrastructure sites collecting info on similar projects.

That was a good idea. What sites did you use?

The rail bridge I assume would be a similar project to the tram overpass at south road, that project cost about $30m, but assuming a rail bridge has to be bigger and stronger will cost twice that, so $60m plus the $10m wasted cost of Oaklands station gives us about a $70m figure. The Mawson Interchange project including a road bridge+ station cost about $30-40m. The South Rd/Anzac Hwy road underpass cost over $120m. Lastly for a rail underpass I had to look at Melbourne with the rebuild of their Nunawading Station which is now a rail underpass, it was $120m. All of these projects took about 6-12months to build.

I don't think the Gallipoli Underpass is an appropriate comparison, as that required a lot of property acquisition, whereas vacant land to the east of Diagonal Road means that this would require none. This is more like the Bakewell Underpass.

Having said that, this is one of these things where there's a choice of doing it cheap or doing it right. Doing it right involves staggering the north end so that northbound Morphett Road traffic doesn't have to cross southbound Diagonal Road traffic on the flat.

[metro]

I had a look thorugh this site and the government's own infrastructure sites collecting info on similar projects.

That was a good idea. What sites did you use?

this one: sensational-adelaide.com

infrastructure.sa.gov.au

and i will even admit to using the oh so reliable en.wikipedia.org

[Hooligan]

Please vote Aidan to be minister of everything people

[mattblack]

Please vote Aidan to be minister of everything people

The Mugabe of Sensational Adelaide. If he doesnt agree with you he'll beat you into submission with Aidan factoids.

[mattblack]

I had a look thorugh this site and the government's own infrastructure sites collecting info on similar projects. The rail bridge I assume would be a similar project to the tram overpass at south road, that project cost about $30m, but assuming a rail bridge has to be bigger and stronger will cost twice that, so $60m plus the $10m wasted cost of Oaklands station gives us about a $70m figure. The Mawson Interchange project including a road bridge+ station cost about $30-40m. The South Rd/Anzac Hwy road underpass cost over $120m. Lastly for a rail underpass I had to look at Melbourne with the rebuild of their Nunawading Station which is now a rail underpass, it was $120m. All of these projects took about 6-12months to build.

So from least expensive to most expensive:

Road Bridge ~$20m-$40m (including cost of property acquisitions), months of roadworks and construction delays to road users, minor disruption to rail commuters. Also $10m saved by not demolishing the 3 year old oaklands station.

Rail Bridge ~$50m-$80m, more disruptive to rail users. Little to no property acquisition. But cost includes the ~$10m wasted of demolishing the brand new Oaklands station which would probably be the same as acquiring property anyways.

Road Underpass ~$100m-$140m (includes cost of property, same as the road bridge), months of roadworks and delays to both road and rail users.

Rail Underpass ~$120m

I guarantee that a rail bridge is the cheapest and quickest option, based on a more scientific method than an internet search. Road bridge not an option because it will cause access issues to businesses and homes on Diagonal Rd and southern Morphett Rd. DTEI have had a close look at this.

[RayRichards]

Should be a similar project to the South Road tram overpass. Not too many dramas in distrupting the Rail traffic if they want it to still keep it going. Aquiring the properties between Diagonal Road and the road behind it towards the Railway station would increase parking and improve bus interchange connections.

Westfield would be wise to contribute as it would improve relations for commuters and shopping centre staff.

Cheers.

Ray.

[HeapsGood]

I suggest go for the super expensive should-have-been-done-decades-ago option... Start off running the bulldozers on to a few properties south of the train station, 1.) because first we need to clear some space for the workmen smoko huts and guard dog kennels, and 2,) hell, because I always enjoyed destroying homes with the bulldozer on Sim City 2000 and hearing that explosion sound.

As the corner of the tracks meet at Morphett/Diagonal road, instead of them meeting, make them continue on and rise up high up into the air and in opposite directions, at a height of about 400 metres. Then, please just imagine the catchy Sim City 2000 music playing as you are picturing this.... then the tracks would swing around in a circle in the air hovering over the marion shopping centre. The new train station can thus be at Marion Shopping Centre and lifts can take people to the elevated train station. Slippery Slides can be provided for exiting passengers (you could even have a slide going all the way down to the pool at the new Aquatic centre).

This has added benefits that:

A.) it will appeal to tourists because it's like a roller coaster in space.

2.) will avoid people paying exorbitant soon to be introduced westfield parking fees by providing direct quick and easy access via train.

C.) start the opening day up with a wet t shirt contest, with the lovely ladies covered in suds washing the brand new trains. Babes must be 18-19 years as Kevin Foley will be judging, must have backup judge when Foley's girlfriend appears on stage.

4.) Could also add in a corkscrew and a water pit.

Estimated budget of my plan, well factoring in costs of a similar project in Victoria, and the relative costs of corkscrews in the popular sim game Roller Coaster Tycoon, I estimate the total cost to be about $35 million, give or take a few million.

[mattblack]

Dont be suprised if a overpass over Brighton rd is also on the cards. This would mean Hove station would go, and Warradale would also go due to the Oaklands overpass. A New station is being considered between these 2 overpasses called 'Hovedale'. Still very early days though.

[metro]

Hovedale? but if it's elevated, shouldnt it be called Super Hovedale?

[[Shuz]]

With all these overpasses on the Noarlunga Line, why don't they just elevate the whole damn thing!

[muzzamo]

wouldn't they consider a station above brighton road ala south road tram overpass? Makes for very easy (in fact, ideal) connections to busses underneath.

[monotonehell]

Hovedale? but if it's elevated, shouldnt it be called Super Hovedale?

Hoverdale...

[fabricator]

I had a look thorugh this site and the government's own infrastructure sites collecting info on similar projects. The rail bridge I assume would be a similar project to the tram overpass at south road, that project cost about $30m, but assuming a rail bridge has to be bigger and stronger will cost twice that, so $60m plus the $10m wasted cost of Oaklands station gives us about a $70m figure.

Oh its far worse than double the cost. The standard for bridges over rail lines these days is 8.9m, so that double stacked containers fit underneath. Given this is an over dimension load route, i'd expect something in the 8-9 m range for the road underneath a rail line. Add another meter for the bridge spans, ballast etc to make it 10m.

Anyway maximum grade on the Adelaide metro train network is 1:45. So to get 10m of height you need 450m of ramp, at BOTH ends. The station needs to be on a flat spot and is at least 5 cars long* (25m x 5) = 125m. So say 50m of bridge, the rest is piled up dirt and retaining walls. just over 1km of construction work.

* in reality I suspect given the new trains will be fixed 3 car sets, platform will be made long enough to fit two sets coupled together. Which means 7 cars (1 extra to allow stopping distances) or 175ml.

Its all going to be very very expensive.