East-West Tram Link

[victorious80]

I have put together a rough plan for a tram line that runs from the Parade at Norwoord, through the city, to the airport, and then to Henley Square. It is just a preliminary concept to get people thinking, so please feel free to offer suggestions and constructive critisicm!

I have terminated the eastern section near the corner of Portrush Rd and the Parade, mainly because further down the Parade the road is narrower and may not be as conducive to running a tram down there, and the demand may not enough to make it viable. But I guess it could be extended if required.

The eastern section has stops at Portrush Rd, George St (near the Hoyts cinema and Norwood Town Hall), Osmond Tce (near Norwood Oval), and Sydenham Rd. The line then runs up the Parade West to Rundle St with a stop at Kent Town (servicing the businesses there and Prince Alfred College).

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The city section has stops at Rundle St (for restaurants, etc), Hutt St (restaurants, etc), Pulteney St, Victoria Sq (Central Markets, and transfer to Glenelg line), Morphett St (near Bus station), and West Tce. Travel within this city section could be free, much like the existing city free arrangement.

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The western section has stops at Keswick (access to Santos Stadium, ETSA Park, Keswick rail station), South Rd, Bagot Ave, Marion Rd, Airport Rd, before running down Sir Richard Williams Ave into the airport terminal. I thought this part could be serviced by a two-way line that terminates to a single track at the airport (similar to how the original City West stop terminated).

The line then continues up Airport Rd, stopping at Henley Beach Rd, Rowells Rd, Strathmore Rd, Tapleys Hill Rd, HMAS Australia Rd, Cudmore Tce, and Henley Beach. The line then runs up Seaview Rd to Henley Square, in a similar way that the trams currently run along Jetty Rd. Traffic disruption shouldn't be too much of an issue, as Military Rd could take the extra traffic for the short distance to Henley Square, and there would not be any tram stops until the Square.

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During Clipsal 500, the line could operate between Henley Square and Hutt St stop only (providing direct access to Clipsal 500 event).

[Will]

Excellent route!

I too share the opinion that the next logical step in the re-introduction of trams in Adelaide should be a line from Henley Beach to Norwood. Furthermore, I like how you extend the tramway down Grote/Wakefield Streets, as it effectively kills 2 birds with 1 stone, as that would also e the dieal route for any CBD loop circuit.

[crawf]

Brillant work!, though I believe it would be better to have the tramline along all of Henley Beach Road, with a branch line along Airport Road.

I would love to catch a tram from my place in Henley Beach to Norwood, via the city

[RayRichards]

Excellent stuff Bruv!

Would pick up many "Pax" along the way. And cover two shopping precincts (Torrensville and Norwood) A branch line to the airport or either further South along Morphett Rd to the Tram Barn and beyond to Marion would rock as well.

How does muggins here fashion the imposed lines on Google maps that you have done mate? . I would like to give it a go!

Ray.

[rhino]

I like your plan, but have 2 suggestions :-

1. Rather than run into and out of the Airport, continue to loop around Ikea and cross SDB on to May Tce to get to Henley Beach Road.

2. Use HMAS Australia Road rather than Henley Beach Road - it's the original tram route (on the viaduct over the swamp) and has a wide median that can easily cope with trams. However, the need for a set of traffic lights where the tram leaves and re-enters Henley Beach Road might make this idea not worthwhile. How will trams cope with the roundabout at Seaview Road and Henley Beach Road? Traffic lights again? They could be only red-yellow traffic lights like at the Blythewood Road roundabout, and triggered by the tram.

[Vee]

I have put together a rough plan for a tram line that runs from the Parade at Norwood, through the city, to the airport, and then to Henley Square. It is just a preliminary concept to get people thinking, so please feel free to offer suggestions and constructive critisicm!

I love the idea of an East-West tram service for Adelaide and your proposed route (albeit with a few modifications) makes sense. It should connect up some of our prime retail, leisure, tourism and cafe precincts, prove a catalyst for additional residential redevelopment and regeneration along the route and provide much needed alternative transit to and from the airport.

I like the central Wakefield/Grote St route (very wide streets) and the potential for a tram circuit within the city, centred on Victoria Square. This would enhance Adelaide's claim to be a very liveable city and appeal to a variety of groups, empty nesters, retirees, students, young urban professionals etc to consider apartment living in the city and inner suburbs.

[victorious80]

Apologies for late reply - have been overseas for last few months (where I noted a few great building and infrastructure examples that could be applied here - will report soon). RayRichards, in regards to how i put the lines on the map, i just took a print-screen of the map and coped into Excel. Then used Excel to draw lines. Nothing overly fancy!

Having been in South Africa for last few weeks, I cannot stress enough the importance of public transport (not only for residents, but for tourists)! In J'burg public transport is non-existent. We had to hire cars or cab it everywhere. Hence I would think twice about returning, as the cost and inconvenience (parking and traffic mostly) really turns me off. It also gives the impression of a not-so-modern city (which is unfortunate, as J'burg really is a brilliant place and very advanced in many areas).

As unfair as it sounds, tourists are very fickle and the slightest experience (either good or bad) can either send them home full of praise or full of disdain for a city. Having an efficient, attractive public transport system really does give a great impression to tourists. This is one reason I support the re-introduction of trams (and electric trains for that matter). They are much more attractive means of transport than buses (prob people's idea that they are more modern and "cool"?), and would really give the impression that Adelaide is a city "on-the-move" (which I truly believe, but unfortunately I dont think many interstate visitors would agree, or want to agree). If we want to keep young people here, and attract others to come here, we really need to project this image. It may seem superficial, but unfortunately it is usually the superficial things that initially attract people (think about marketing!).

Will try and post some photos of great ideas that I saw in Europe and South Africa soon.

[rhino]

This is one reason I support the re-introduction of trams (and electric trains for that matter). They are much more attractive means of transport than buses (prob people's idea that they are more modern and "cool"?), and would really give the impression that Adelaide is a city "on-the-move".

I think another reason tourists like trams over buses, is they can look on a map and see where the tram line goes, and they know it's going to go there. Bus routes are often not shown on maps, and even when you can find one, you hop on the bus and the route has been changed (because it can) and you end up somewhere other than where you want to be.

[Hindley Street Alley]

As all these things tend to be completed in stages, does anyone have any ideas about what stages or sections would be completed first and in what order?

I think it would make sense that an East Tce -> West Tce section would be completed first - this would, for starters, make CBD navigation easier - a key feature here I feel is the East Tce -> Central Market (Vic Square) route via Hutt St. Imagine being able to get from East Tce to Hutt St. in 2 min and in only another 2-3 min be at the central markets or vice versa. Especially friday nights this would be great.
This is expecially considering that it's probably 10-14 minutes walk from the Rundle Mall tram stop to East Tce, making a current 'easy, reliable and on-time' (eg. perhaps not bus) public transport + walking commute from the central markets to East Tce. close to 20min at best.

[victorious80]

I have actually been working on adding more detail to my route, and have considered staging of works. I came up with the following:

1. Rundle rd to West Tce
2. West Tce to Airport (to facilitate quick and easy transport between airport and CBD)
3. Rundle rd to Portrush Rd
4. Airport to Henley Square

[Waewick]

Do you think they would focus on a city loop prior to going out to the burbs?

The key to any decent public transport system is surely a rail loop around the city which connects major population and commercial hubs?

For instance a tram/light rail line that moves down greenhill road, down fullarton, potentially linking to a station at Hackney for the O’Bahn somehow getting to Bowden TOD via the Northern rail corridors then around the city back to Greenhill road with a link to the proposed east west tram line.

That way people have the ability to be anywhere in the city and can link into the major transport corridors, I'll see if I'm as skill full as others and try a google map!

I love the idea and would vote for any party who would embark on the development.

[Waewick]

this thread actually got me thinking.

does anyone know where you could obtain traffic stats for the city.

the more I think (unqualified of course) about it, the more absurd it seems that some of our more highly dense residential areas such as eastern and south eastern suburbs don'e have a dedicated rail PT be it train or tram

I would have thought these areas would have the highest level of cars driven into the CBD surely as well as a high level of students/children living at home i would imagine? so a dedicated train/tram line through these areas would almost immediately have an impact and the buses saved could be used elsewhere?

I guess the idea with PT is to get that critical mass that requires more frequent trains/trams if you start it off in a densely populated area your going to get that, especially if it becomes more efficient than cars (which it will).

[Wayno]

does anyone know where you could obtain traffic stats for the city.

tadum - tis available here

[Waewick]

cheers WAyno

some 150k worth of cars from unley road through to magill road (that is the lower end estimate of adding the sums up which quite confusing) i only looked at suburban roads prior to there becoming CBD (as in Greenhill Rd numbers outside the part that flows through the parklands)

I would imagine that a high number of those would be people simply going into the city? Greenhill Rd would be distorting as it would have a high number of hills residence.

[victorious80]

I had updated this concept back in November, but have been a bit lazy to post it. so i have attached it to this post. note, it is in 5 parts. 1-3 in this post and 4-5 in the next. unfortunately i couldnt get it to upload more than a 1MB file.

i forwarded to LM Stephen Yarwood and minister for transport, and received some good feedback from them. any comments welcome.