Brisbane Northern Metro

[Gazza]

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zu-pvgqZc2U0.kHxpiZMs3oMU&usp=sharing

Here's something I've been working up, but basically, I reckon the Northern Busway would be better if built out as a light metro type system, eg similar to the London DLR, or the Copenhagen Metro, or the Vancouver Skytrain.


This would be post CRR

Basically, 90m platforms, 3 car automated trains, stations about every 1500m.
Simple stations that acknowledge the fact passengers will only be spending about 5 minutes there.

The other key point is that it would be elevated in the Gympie Rd median, with stations located on the open sites of car yards that are easy to build on.

In the link/attached kmz ive marked out station envelopes and the centerline of the alignment.

Roma St I haven't really got an answer for in terms of. I think ideally you'd build a new set of platforms (and leave the existing busway platforms alone, which could be done if they do opt to knock the building down for CRR.

To RBWH it's pretty self explanatory. The busway was built for light rail conversion, so therefore could take light metro vehicles. Stations platforms would be modified accordingly.

Federation street would be converted to a proper station, with an overbridge and renamed Windsor South.

From there you travel through a 600m driven tunnel to Windsor station. Windsor heavy rail would be rebuilt closer to Lutwyche Rd, with straight side platforms. The metro station would be an open box type design, similar to the image of Oresund station in Copenhagen above.
The queenslander houses would be resumed and relocated.

From there its another 600m tunnel to Truro St, which is renamed Windsor North.

The busway north of there is converted through to Kedron Brook.

The bit after this is probably the most difficult. Where the current tunnel exit is, it would keep ramping uphill (Using the space taken up by the bus lane to transition to an elevated structure.

The front face of the elevated structure would have some pretty funky architectural stuff done on the front with VW branding to tie it in with the car dealer it's crossing in front of.

The line continues along the western edge of Gympie rd, to the site north of Strathmore St, where Kedron station would be located.

The line then crosses over into the median to avoid the cemetery, (At this point the median is about 5m wide) then crosses back over to the eastern side of Gympie Rd at Kitchener Rd, passing along the front of car yards and the top taste factory.

Chermside south station is up next, bridging over Rode Rd.

The line continues north, to Chermside Central station, located in the car park adjacent to the bus interchange.

The line then snakes through Westfield land, crosses murphy road, and runs along the edge of Marchant Park.

Next up is Chermside North....I'm thinking the site could be where that current 'rest area' is.

Continuing along that edge of the road, it then crosses over Albany Creek road (resuming a petrol station) to a stop located in the Hypermarket car park.

Continuing north, the line peels off Gympie Rd and runs along the back of the homemaker center, heading north east. It then crosses over dorville Rd, over the Caboolture line, drops to ground level and terminates at Carseldine.  The depot would be located on the site of the car wreckers, and Beams Rd would be grade sepped.

[verbatim9]

The government wants it to go to Bracken Ridge ?

Driven tunnel from Ibis to the now existing bus way portal at Lutwyche. The new Windsor lightrail station can be underneath Windsor rail creating an interchange point. Apartments can also be built on top of Windsor interchange with a full line supermarket, cafes and bars

[BrizCommuter]

Is it foam party time again?

[Gazza]

Is it foam party time again?

Of course, any suggestions of major new infrastructure tends to be foam at this point in Qld.

That said, I'm more coming at it from the angle that a grade sepped busway is already planned, so why not do it better.

I also reckon the north side can survive the conversion process a bit better because  there's more alternative routes for buses, no funnel points across rivers, and, in particular, that whole golf ball tunnel through Victoria park lends itself to overhead installation while the busway is still in operations.

[HappyTrainGuy]

The wreckers outside Carseldine railway station has been already been designated as a busway and a new overpass for traffic on Beams Road as part of the Beams Road level crossing removal project. That busway is going to flood as soon as it rains considering the area already does in heavy rain

[pandmaster]

I like the concept. I think it is a good idea for any new construction along the route of the proposed busway to be rail and not bus. It is time to reverse the "failed" paradigm. Brisbane's busways are in the wrong place: should be outer suburban.

Windsor heavy rail would be rebuilt closer to Lutwyche Rd, with straight side platforms.

I have thought for a while that Windsor station should be above Lutwyche Road with lifts and stairs directly down to the footpaths with indented bus stops on both sides of the road. Hopefully when the time comes to upgrade the station they decide to rebuild it there.

[kaykayt]

Yes. I also like the concept. I think it would lower traffic congestions on the Northern side of Brisbane.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Yes. I also like the concept. I think it would lower traffic congestions on the Northern side of Brisbane.

Doubt that. It won't do anything to shift the load a great deal. Gympie Road has a lot of traffic coming from Bald Hills and beyond. Its why there are two different peak hour traffic jams in the morning peak hour. At times it can be a crawl through Aspley or Lutyche at 6.30 before clearing quickly and then forming again when all the locals leave to go to work/school runs. Even the existing 340 has patronage issues because of the design of Gympie Road Chermside West to Carseldine. I saw one the other night around 6-6.15 heading outbound with 4 people on it.... and it deserves to be a buz??? The whole Gympie Road section from Chermside to Bald Hills is always going to be terrible for public transport no matter how you look at it. Between Westfield and Webster road you have massive soccer/cricket grounds and bushland  with no pathways or lights on the eastern side with a 400m walk before you get to Ellison Road. That's on top of having to make your way across 6 lanes of traffic with the only safe areas to cross are back at the lights on Murphy Road 600m earlier or 800m later at Webster Road. Webster Road to Robinson Road is pretty much the same. Sound barriers, fencing and no space for a pathway make up the first section on the western side before the creek outside the Aspley Hotel. The eastern side is better but you still have the 6 lanes of traffic to cross with traffic lights that are always going to be a 500m walk to get to. Robinson Road to Zillmere road is better but it too has the problems of trying to cross Gympie Road (I personally reckon the 340 should stop around the Harvey Norman/Officeworks area - there are already bus shelters there but only the 2 hourly 336/337 and mabye the 680 use them).

I'd wait for that Gateway extension to go though as that's going to change how the whole northern traffic will flow. With the Boondall onramp removed its either going to create congestion back at Toombul or Deagon is going to be copping it big time or Gympie Road is going to take even more of it.

[Old Northern Road]

G-Link style light rail would work as well although light metro would be better. Depends on the cost