Article: Momentum for rail plan

[ozbob]

From the North West News  22nd July 2009 page 11

Momentum for rail plan

Momentum for rail plan

IN two years Ferny Grove commuters will benefit from a State Government decision to fast-track a $63 million rail line duplication. The 3km stretch of track inbound from Ferny Grove would now be completed three years ahead of schedule, according to Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe. "The duplication was originally planned for 2012-13.

The accelerated funding allows the construction of a further 3km of duplicated track between the two stations and upgrades to the station facilities at Ferny Grove, including carpark and bus interchange improvements."

Member for Ferny Grove Geoff Wilson said he had been "lobbying hard for upgrades to Ferny Grove railway line" since entering office.

In relation to the pending car parking improvements, Mr Wilson said: "A company specialising in railway station car park redevelopment has prepared a concept plan for the car park and I will be encouraging them to continue working with both state and local Governments on their proposal."

Last year the Mitchelton to Keperra track duplication was completed.

[david]

I knew it!

It was a bit odd when I saw it in the budget papers, but what the heck?

Let the improvements begin!

[ButFli]

A company that specialises in railway station carpark redevelopment? That's a niche market!

[O_128]

A company that specialises in railway station carpark redevelopment? That's a niche market!

better be good then!

What about an extension to samford?

[brad C]

$63M for 3 km of track with one line already in place and both affected stations already having island platforms.
And people may ask why they keep building roads???

[stephenk]

Whilst very good news for long suffering Ferny Grove Line commuters, I'm sure the price tag would have been much less if the duplication had been from Mitchelton to Ferny Grove in one project! Roll on a metro style peak service!

[Jon Bryant]

I just hope the "company that specialises in railway station carpark redevelopment" is also a company that specialises in Transit Oriented Developments and not Multi-level Car Parks.  I do not have high hopes unfortunately.  Extension to Samford would  be good too but I am sure someone will think it is a crazy idea.

[O_128]

i would love to see a breakdown of costs how could it possibly cost 63 MILLION most roads that long coast about 3 million

[stephenk]

i would love to see a breakdown of costs how could it possibly cost 63 MILLION most roads that long coast about 3 million

Where did you pull that figure from? $3m doesn't go very far these days. Just the staffing costs for a road or rail project of this length would probably cost far more than $3m.

[skippy]

$63M for 3 km of track with one line already in place and both affected stations already having island platforms.
And people may ask why they keep building roads???

Pacific Motorway upgrade to begin soon
July 7, 2009
A $422 million upgrade on the Pacific Motorway is expected to begin in about three months.

Workers will lay heavy-duty asphalt along a 3.3-kilometre section from Springwood South to Daisy Hill, add extra lanes to the on and off-ramps, improve the Paradise Road roundabout and upgrade the Loganlea Road interchange.

[p858snake]

The upgrade is between FG and Keppera station only isn't it? the rest is already dual track isn't it?

I'm interested in seeing the plans to expand/redesign the carpark because there is not that much that can be done without buying out surrounding land is there?

Why does the bus interchange need improvements?.... It is less than five years since it was upgraded to its current state and I have never seen more than one or two buses there at a time except for in the afternoon when the school buses wait for the kids from other high schools to get off the trains.

I just hope the "company that specialises in railway station carpark redevelopment" is also a company that specialises in Transit Oriented Developments and not Multi-level Car Parks.  I do not have high hopes unfortunately.  Extension to Samford would  be good too but I am sure someone will think it is a crazy idea.

A company that specialises in railway station carpark redevelopment? That's a niche market!

better be good then!

What about an extension to samford?

I, as someone that lives out past Samford, don't think that a rail extension would possibly be the best idea due to the useage and location but maybe something like a smaller light rail/monorail that went along the range to somewhere near the primary school which would make it pretty central to the village and then improve the buses around Samford and surrounding suburbs would work alot better.

[mufreight]

Well must disagree with the comment of p858snake with regard to future extension (read reinstatement) of the rail line to Samford.
The logical move would be to reinstate the line alongside the old alignment beside Lanita Rd as far as Kedron Creek where a new station could be sited with a car park that would take some of the load off Ferny Grove.
A second stage would be the extension of the line underground to become a surface line to cross Samford Creek and parallel cash Av along the old alignment into Samford village with a station and park and ride facility on the old station site.
This would provide a rail hub for the Samford Valley/Closeburn/Draper area meeting a large proportion of the Public Transport needs for a considerable time into the future and provide a fast and environmentaly friendly rail link into the CBD.

[O_128]

Well must disagree with the comment of p858snake with regard to future extension (read reinstatement) of the rail line to Samford.
The logical move would be to reinstate the line alongside the old alignment beside Lanita Rd as far as Kedron Creek where a new station could be sited with a car park that would take some of the load off Ferny Grove.
A second stage would be the extension of the line underground to become a surface line to cross Samford Creek and parallel cash Av along the old alignment into Samford village with a station and park and ride facility on the old station site.
This would provide a rail hub for the Samford Valley/Closeburn/Draper area meeting a large proportion of the Public Transport needs for a considerable time into the future and provide a fast and environmentaly friendly rail link into the CBD.

one can only hope. at the moment there is close to zero public transport out there and a lot of people do drive to ferny grove station.

[stephenk]

A second stage would be the extension of the line underground

That would would put the construction costs up a bit!

Does anyone know what % of Ferny Grove users live in Samford and beyond? Would the construction costs be justifiable?

[Derwan]

I'm interested in seeing the plans to expand/redesign the carpark because there is not that much that can be done without buying out surrounding land is there?

There was a quick mention of this at the CRG I went to as we touched on car parking.  They started saying that it was going to be 2 levels - but quickly added that the story they hear keeps changing between single and 2 levels.

[O_128]

I'm interested in seeing the plans to expand/redesign the carpark because there is not that much that can be done without buying out surrounding land is there?

There was a quick mention of this at the CRG I went to as we touched on car parking.  They started saying that it was going to be 2 levels - but quickly added that the story they hear keeps changing between single and 2 levels.

why not build 3 for future growth?

[Derwan]

why not build 3 for future growth?

That would require forward-thinking! 

[p858snake]

I'm interested in seeing the plans to expand/redesign the carpark because there is not that much that can be done without buying out surrounding land is there?

There was a quick mention of this at the CRG I went to as we touched on car parking.  They started saying that it was going to be 2 levels - but quickly added that the story they hear keeps changing between single and 2 levels.

Did they mention anything like underground or above ground?

[Derwan]

Did they mention anything like underground or above ground?

No - it was a passing comment when we were talking about parking on the Shorncliffe Line.

[Jon Bryant]

The solution is not to build multi-story car parks which become great places to deal drugs, mug people, etc.  We need to turn each and every station into the heart of a Transit Orient Development with locaql feeder bus stations. We need open squares with multi-storey apratments, shops, cafes, etc., etc. 

[O_128]

The solution is not to build multi-story car parks which become great places to deal drugs, mug people, etc.  We need to turn each and every station into the heart of a Transit Orient Development with locaql feeder bus stations. We need open squares with multi-storey apratments, shops, cafes, etc., etc. 

yes it is hard with established stations though. Hopefully Varsity will be  a sign of things to come.