News & Discussion: Trams

[Cryptic]

The government and council aren't going to co-ordinate on trams vs councils plan to turn the middle of oconnel into a parkling lot. We're talking a state that routinely repaves roads and footpaths, only for another agency to come along and dig holes in the newly paved road/footpath..that's the level of co-ordination in South Australia.


They want to turn the middle of O'Connell into parking to suck more money out of people.
Otherwise there's plenty of room for a tram down O'Connell.

Yep completely agree with this. Saying a lack of plan for trams in an ACC plan indicates a lack of intent for a tram extension from the state government is putting far too much faith in the cooperation between different levels of government. I think O'Connell is probably first up on the agenda when trams make their way back into the political conversation (which I'm fairly confident they will, eventually). I think we probably see a tram extension up this way some time in the 2030s, regardless of whatever the ACC do.

[[Shuz]]

There literally is a parallel road called LeFevre Terrace that can be used as a thoroughfare for Main North Road traffic, just redirect it into KWS at Brougham Place.

Fun fact: That's the original lights plan. The road was rerouted a long time ago. That way you can have a street for trams and a street for through traffic. Win win.

[Spotto]

Fun fact: That's the original lights plan. The road was rerouted a long time ago. That way you can have a street for trams and a street for through traffic. Win win.

TIL this. Did a quick search and Experience Adelaide has an old aerial photo from 1935 showing the original pre-80s alignment.

https://www.experienceadelaide.com.au/n ... ghts-plan/

[prometheus2704]

Returning LeFevre Terrace to it's original alignment with Main North Road would never happen. Could you imagine the uproar from every single one of the residents living along there? Not to mention the Parklands Preservation Society kicking up a stank about turning parklands over to a road!

[[Shuz]]

The APPA would be hypocrites if they whinged about the realignment of a road back to its original alignment.

East Terrace got realigned with minimal pushback. Obahn Tunnel got built despite the pushback.

[rubberman]

The APPA would be hypocrites if they whinged about the realignment of a road back to its original alignment.

East Terrace got realigned with minimal pushback. Obahn Tunnel got built despite the pushback.

The problem with the original alignment was that the intersection was a traffic nightmare, rather than how much traffic could get down LeFevre. You can still get to Lefevre from two directions in the Northern end. Plus, it's only one lane each way.

Now, that's not to say we couldn't get some more traffic down that way. I suspect that is the way a lot of traffic from lot 88 is going to be forced to go...and which will probably soak up most of LeFevre's capacity anyway.

People want to use their cars, not use public transport and change modes. However, at some point, the road capacity isn't there. At that point people have to decide to use higher capacity public transport, such as trams, with reduced numbers of cars: ie more trams, fewer cars. Or, if they won't accept that, just sit in ever longer traffic jams. Those are the alternatives for O'Connell Street, Goodwood Road, Unley Road, The Parade, and increasingly, Henley Beach and Grange Roads. At the moment, the driving public is choosing the longer traffic delays.

[bits]

Another answer is to not increase the population.
No more people means no more traffic

[whatstheirnamesmom]

I have heard on very good authority that the government are planning on chipping in a substantial sum of money to have the Adelaide Bridge rebuilt as part of the next budget.

As others have said, the current political and infrastructure climates aren't favourable to trams, so I don't think there will be any tram news for the remainder of this term or the majority of the next. But come 2030 – with the bridge rebuilt, 88 O'Connell spurring more North Adelaide high-density development, Aquatic Centre finished, NAGC redeveloped for LIV – it will be ripe for a tram extension.