News & Discussion: O-Bahn

[AtD]

Can we please keep this thread to the actual proposals, not your fantasies (Use the Visions area), and definitely not wanking over the bus fleet.

[muzzamo]

It would seem better maybe to demolish the Obahn and to have a tram from the Airport to TTP via the Central of Adelaide.

This isn't sim-city. You don't just demolish infrastructure that currently works very well and would have a high replacement cost.

[RayRichards]

Can we please keep this thread to the actual proposals, not your fantasies (Use the Visions area), and definitely not wanking over the bus fleet.

Ha Ha I reckon the old grey Volvos give me the horn!

Ray.

[RayRichards]

Say if the New "Obahn" bus lanes run along from Wakefield to Grote Street from Gilberton, would it be better to have the Bus lanes in the middle of the stretch and have the bus stops in the middle ala King William Street. You cant say there would safety issues as obviously King William Road is far busier. This would give the service vehicles, taxis and Council vehicles their space back.

The number of passengers waiting for OBahn services is far greater than those waiting for the tram. You couldn't safely house stops in the middle of the road for the capacity needed.

Maybe extend the the New "Obahn" bus lanes along into Sir Donnies bvd and head into the airport?? It would seem better maybe to demolish the Obahn and to have a tram from the Airport to TTP via the Central of Adelaide. And make it free like the other line from West Tce to East Tce.

The Jet buses already do this (but via a slightly better route that avoids most of the SDB bottleneck before South rd).
Suggesting a tram instead of the OBahn means you don't understand the nature of the OBahn and how it serves far more people in the suburban sprawl. The point of the OBahn is the buses can leave the track and do a to the door service. Something a tram just can't do. Feeder buses introduce a need for transfers, which is a negative for the service. The major point of the OBahn is that it is NOT a point to point service, it's a point to sprawl service.

Thats fair enough mate. I thought the reason of having the O-Bahn built was because of the opportunity to sell the technology to other companies/govenment depts.

Also, what route does the Jet bus go through thats the journey quicker?

Ray.

[RayRichards]

It would seem better maybe to demolish the Obahn and to have a tram from the Airport to TTP via the Central of Adelaide.

This isn't sim-city. You don't just demolish infrastructure that currently works very well and would have a high replacement cost.

How long will the current infrastructure for the Obahn last before needing refurbishment? I was not suggesting sending a few crews down to Busway post haste and start knocking it down within a short time. Like your game Sim City. I like the O-bahn myself Just visioning the future of the busway.

Ray.

[Straze]

Adelaidenow article i found today:

Parklands for plunder

ADELAIDE'S parklands are under siege from a range of planned developments, failure to return land designated for rehabilitation and a procession of Government ministers calling for open space to be turned over to new developments.

The Transport Department is finalising a new O-Bahn corridor through the parklands from Hackney Rd to Grenfell St.

Construction is expected to be completed by June 2012, based on a $61 million grant from the Federal Government, according to the department.

It is one of a host of developments either planned, being considered or attempted in recent times which would eat into the parklands.

These include the expansion of Adelaide Oval, building the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, new permanent parking areas for sports fixtures, the Adelaide Convention Centre expansion, improving the Britannia Roundabout and permanent motor sport infrastructure with corporate suites.

Ministers on the public record as wanting developments built in parklands - ranging from Paris-style apartment blocks with shops on the ground floor, to car parks to the O-Bahn corridor - now include Treasurer Kevin Foley, Transport Minister Patrick Conlon, Urban Development Minister Paul Holloway and City of Adelaide Minister Gail Gago.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

About 10 per cent of the parklands' 944ha has already been alienated by successive state governments for uses such as transport depots, rail lines and parking.

Mr Foley this week told Parliament an audit of car parking for the upgraded Adelaide Oval was being conducted, which included using industrial land in the parklands as car parking. He called on private investors to build car parks for the oval, saying the Government would not foot the bill.

The O-Bahn plan is well underway. A Transport Department statement said plans would soon be presented to Parliament's Public Works Committee.

"Concept plans and traffic modelling are being finalised by the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure for the three stages of the O-Bahn project: Hackney Road, the section using existing roads through the parklands from Hackney Road to Grenfell St, and through Grenfell and Currie streets." the statement read.

Parklands advocate and former deputy Lord Mayor Mark Hamilton said the parklands were viewed as vacant real estate. "The sands are shifting quite quickly about what is parkland and what the Government says should be for public benefit," Mr Hamilton said.

"We are now talking about things like spending tens of millions of dollars on a footbridge to Adelaide Oval to save people strolling about 100m on a perfectly good existing bridge.

"I'm not against car parking in the parklands - it is quite pleasant and you can have a barbecue and enjoy the day - but that is completely different to constructing multi-storey car parks in the parklands.

"The romantic notion of using public transport to come into town, having dinner, then strolling to the Oval to watch a game is completely at odds with the push to get parking built on the parklands. State governments have a history of trying to purloin parklands. It is one of our great treasures but it is under siege."

The call by Mr Hamilton to safeguard the parklands comes as the State Government moves to carve up other significant open space in the face of public protests, including at Cheltenham, St Clair and Glenside.

Meanwhile, Adelaide City Council was unable to say what had happened to 25ha of land earmarked for return to the parklands more than a decade ago.

An ACC plan in 1999 identified 25ha of land as "priority areas of alienated parklands to be returned to council for community use", including:

1.8ha former RAH car park off Frome Rd.

13ha Victoria Park site.

5.9ha SA Water site.

3.4ha west of Morphett St Bridge. ADELAIDE Gaol.

NETBALL courts on Anzac Hwy

A BUILDING on Hutt Rd earmarked for removal.

ACC did not respond to requests about the status of the sites.

Looks like we will be waiting a few more years until the busway project gets started. I am waiting very patiently now. Perhaps i will go to Paint Supplies and get some red paint and do it myself while no ones looking.

[AtD]

How did you get "a few years before it starts" from "completed by June 2012"?

[Straze]

How did you get "a few years before it starts" from "completed by June 2012"?

I am guessing it will start around late 2011 to early 2012 depending on what actually is to be done.

[fabricator]

Adelaidenow article i found today:

Parklands for plunder

About 10 per cent of the parklands' 944ha has already been alienated by successive state governments for uses such as transport depots, rail lines and parking.

Offhand, I'd say its been some decades since we last built a new rail line on parklands land, the SG interstate line. More like a hundred years plus if you only count the public transport rail lines.

[iTouch]

I think this would now be approved:

I got a letter from my local MP, Tony Zappia stating: "last year we secured $61 million of Federal Funding to extend the O'Bahn into the CBD

Recently local State MP's Frances Bedford and Tom Kenyon and I met with Transport SA to be brief on the O Bahn extension and to also argue the case for an upgrade of the O Bahn interchange at Tea Tree Plaza

Planning of the track extension is well underway with the construction expected to be completed by the end of 2011 / 12 financial year

If you have any views on how we can improve the TTP interchange, please contact my office"

He also mentioned that he is pushing forth the widening of Golden Grove Road just north of Grenfelll Road in the Wynn Vale / Surrey Down's area which I totally agree with also as it's only 1+1 but thats another topic

[duke]

Anyone have a route map yet?

[crawf]

In other news I travelled on the O-Bahn yesterday for the first time!. It is so quick to travel from Hackney to Modbury and it's pretty scenic most of the journey, very bushy and lush green.

However I don't really have many positive things to say about TTP Interchange, kinda reminded me of Casuarina Interchange in Darwin. Dingy and unsafe

[monotonehell]

...However I don't really have many positive things to say about TTP Interchange, kinda reminded me of Casuarina Interchange in Darwin. Dingy and unsafe

Yeah, it's the destination. I live up that way and the area contains a lot of unsavoury types who seem to like to hang about at the interchange (probably because Westfield security has banned them from TTP). They do have private security guards on Thursday nights. The whole interchange is dirty, worn out and in a dilapidated state. Needs a really good steam clean, the fences and other facilities need to be replaced. It's not exactly the best end of the line.

[Waewick]

...However I don't really have many positive things to say about TTP Interchange, kinda reminded me of Casuarina Interchange in Darwin. Dingy and unsafe

Yeah, it's the destination. I live up that way and the area contains a lot of unsavoury types who seem to like to hang about at the interchange (probably because Westfield security has banned them from TTP). They do have private security guards on Thursday nights. The whole interchange is dirty, worn out and in a dilapidated state. Needs a really good steam clean, the fences and other facilities need to be replaced. It's not exactly the best end of the line.

it seems strange that they want to improve the service yet have a station thats people have described here?

I wonder if there is any plans to do it up?

[Wayno]

Anyone have a route map yet?

i second this request - too many words, not enough pictures!