News & Discussion: Adelaide Metro Trains

[PD2/20]

I bet there will be a push for more level crossing removals. I predict within twenty years there will be no level crossings from Adelaide to Port Dock.

It also gives the opportunity to rebuild stations. Some stations have poor pedestrian access. If we want to talk about subways, many stations are in dire need of pedestrian subways. It's orders of magnitude less expensive to grade separate the pedestrians.

We used to have numerous pedestrian subways at railway stations all over Adelaide, until they were all removed.

The pedestrian subway is not extinct in Adelaide, although they have been removed at Hove and Oaklands. Marion gained one when the station was rebuilt in 2014. The subway roofs at Croydon, West Croydon and Torrens Park have been replaced in the last two years. Subways also remain at Greenfields, Parafield Gdns, Goodwood, Mitcham, Woodlands Park, Brighton and Marino.

[SouthAussie94]

St Clair is north-north east of Woodville West, and it's practically completed. There was a plan to "swap" the park on Woodville Road adjacent the train station with the new bigger park they've built inside St Clair, to build a Bowden style TOD development, but the local residents bitched and moaned until the government gave in. Just like they did with regards to the lucky horseshoe not being rebuilt at the St Clair town center.

The land swap is, as far as I'm aware, happening (Unless I'm thinking of a different site). The footy oval which used to be adjacent Woodville Railway station has a half constructed road punched through the guts of it. The half constructed road is recently visible on Google Maps. There are plans to build a retirement village of sorts on the site. Not quite the TOD that was originally proposed..

The footy oval has been replaced by the new park within the St Clair development

[Ben]

The plans for Flinders Link are now on the DAC site:

https://www.saplanningcommission.sa.gov ... ic_notices

[SRW]

The plans for Flinders Link are now on the DAC site:

https://www.saplanningcommission.sa.gov ... ic_notices

Kind of wish the connection to the university campuses was stronger or that the medical centre interchange was relocated proximate, but on the whole it's a massive improvement in transport services.

[how good is he]

I agree.. so there is no "skyrail" link or anything else proposed to get people to Flinders Uni?

[Pistol]

The Gawler Line really is the poverty stricken cousin when compared to the Seaford Line...

[1NEEDS2POST]

The plans for Flinders Link are now on the DAC site:

https://www.saplanningcommission.sa.gov ... ic_notices

Kind of wish the connection to the university campuses was stronger or that the medical centre interchange was relocated proximate, but on the whole it's a massive improvement in transport services.

Agreed, it needs one more station further south for the university. That said, it's hilly terrain in the area.

[Norman]

I agree.. so there is no "skyrail" link or anything else proposed to get people to Flinders Uni?

It was more of a thought bubble by the former DPTI CEO. Nothing serious ever came out of that.

[Listy]

I agree.. so there is no "skyrail" link or anything else proposed to get people to Flinders Uni?

As someone who did the walk from the Med Centre up to Biology pretty much everyday for 5 years, I think a nice well lit footpath, and a shuttle bus for people who need it & after dark etc (there used to be one, I presume it's still going) would be more appropriate? Its a quick 500m walk up a moderate incline to the main Uni plaza. I'm sure the shuttle bus could be upgraded to be electric and autonomous.

[claybro]

Kind of pleasantly surprised this project is going ahead. Somewhere I had a sneaking suspicion it would be quietly put on the back burner once the government changed.

[Algernon]

The plans for Flinders Link are now on the DAC site:

https://www.saplanningcommission.sa.gov ... ic_notices

Kind of wish the connection to the university campuses was stronger or that the medical centre interchange was relocated proximate, but on the whole it's a massive improvement in transport services.

Agreed, it needs one more station further south for the university. That said, it's hilly terrain in the area.

It highlights what a frustrating location Flinders is for a University. The only seamless way to get a train right into Flinders is to do it how hilly Euro and North American cities build their metros. Bore a tunnel and terminate at an underground station, then access the underground station via 50-80m long escalator. Very expensive but the only way to do it right. It's already a lot of money spent getting the station 600 metres closer, so it doesn't make sense spending all that money for it to still be 600 metres away from the uni.

[1NEEDS2POST]

Kind of wish the connection to the university campuses was stronger or that the medical centre interchange was relocated proximate, but on the whole it's a massive improvement in transport services.

Agreed, it needs one more station further south for the university. That said, it's hilly terrain in the area.

It highlights what a frustrating location Flinders is for a University. The only seamless way to get a train right into Flinders is to do it how hilly Euro and North American cities build their metros. Bore a tunnel and terminate at an underground station, then access the underground station via 50-80m long escalator. Very expensive but the only way to do it right. It's already a lot of money spent getting the station 600 metres closer, so it doesn't make sense spending all that money for it to still be 600 metres away from the uni.

This problem is a worldwide phenomena. In the book Human Transit, it mentions how many post-WW2 universities positioned themselves on a hill overlooking the city. This made them feel important, like a medieval castle. It's a huge nightmare for public transport though. There's no easy solution. The universities need their own public transport routes, since they are in a sort of cul-de-sac.

[Algernon]

Agreed, it needs one more station further south for the university. That said, it's hilly terrain in the area.

It highlights what a frustrating location Flinders is for a University. The only seamless way to get a train right into Flinders is to do it how hilly Euro and North American cities build their metros. Bore a tunnel and terminate at an underground station, then access the underground station via 50-80m long escalator. Very expensive but the only way to do it right. It's already a lot of money spent getting the station 600 metres closer, so it doesn't make sense spending all that money for it to still be 600 metres away from the uni.

This problem is a worldwide phenomena. In the book Human Transit, it mentions how many post-WW2 universities positioned themselves on a hill overlooking the city. This made them feel important, like a medieval castle. It's a huge nightmare for public transport though. There's no easy solution. The universities need their own public transport routes, since they are in a sort of cul-de-sac.

Cheers, i'll check it out.

[ml69]

Agreed, it needs one more station further south for the university. That said, it's hilly terrain in the area.

It highlights what a frustrating location Flinders is for a University. The only seamless way to get a train right into Flinders is to do it how hilly Euro and North American cities build their metros. Bore a tunnel and terminate at an underground station, then access the underground station via 50-80m long escalator. Very expensive but the only way to do it right. It's already a lot of money spent getting the station 600 metres closer, so it doesn't make sense spending all that money for it to still be 600 metres away from the uni.

At the end of the day, DPTI had to be practical and budget-conscious. A bored tunnel and underground station would be horrendously expensive (an underground station can cost between anywhere between $300-500 million depending on the construction techniques employed during construction).

That being the case, it would have badly failed any business case review and not even get to the stage it is currently at.

[SRW]

Nearly makes you wonder if a cable car might have been a more felicitous solution for the extension, like the Portland Aerial Tram. Not advocating, mind you, just curious what options they considered in the planning.