Article: (Holland) IJmeerlijn visions revealed

[colinw]

Railway Gazette International -> click here

Note: "... The go-ahead has been given for 25 000 homes subject to a second rail link being provided ..."

03 October 2011

NETHERLANDS: Three feasibility studies for a direct metro line between Amsterdam and the growing satellite town of Almere across the IJmeer lake have been completed on behalf of development agency Werkmaatschappij Almere-Amsterdam. Two of the options will now be selected for further analysis, and the selected project could be completed in 2025-30.

The IJmeerverbinding (Ijmeer connection) is intended to support growth in the Amsterdam suburb of IJburg and Almere, where the population is predicted to grown from 192 000 to 350 000 by 2030. The go-ahead has been given for 25 000 homes subject to a second rail link being provided to relieve the existing Hollandsebrug road and rail bridge across the IJmeer. Six plans were proposed, of which three have been taken to the stage of a technical and economic feasibility study.

The M55 consortium including Mott MacDonald, MNO Vervat and Baca Architects was commissioned to develop a proposal based on a tunnel. A 20 km metro extension would run from Diemen-Zuid to IJburg, followed by a 9 km immersed tunnel under the IJmeer to reach to Almere Centrum. There would be three surface and two underground stations, with one of the underground stations at IJburg offering boat mooring spaces as what is claimed as the first 'sail and ride' facility. Material excavated from the tunnel would be used to create a new car-free island with 3 000 homes which could be served by Personal Rapid Transit. This plan is costed at €3·2bn.



Jacobs, APPM and Posad have proposed De Nieuwe Lijn as an elevated alternative. The metro would be extended from a relocated station and transport hub at Diemen, then cross the IJmeer by four cable-stayed bridges between new islands to reach Almere Pampus West. There would be shared running with the existing heavy rail line through Almere Centrum to reach a new terminus. The cost of this scheme is put at €2·6bn.

Movares has put forward RegioMetro, a proposal for a phased extension of the metro and a crossing of the IJmeer on an arched bridge. Priced at up to €2·5bn, this project could be completed in phases as required, which Movares says could help keep costs under control.

[O_128]

wow in queensland its the rail link will be provided subject to the houses being built

[somebody]

wow in queensland its the rail link will be provided subject to the houses being built

I think it would be subject to Federal funding, which might be provided if the houses are built.

[colinw]

The main reason I posted this particular article as to highlight the complete inversion of the planning process compared to Australian norms.

This kind of thing is very much what I'd like to see here when it comes to developments like Ripley Valley (and even then I wonder why we need to have a new corridor rather than instead putting it at Walloon on an existing line).

[SurfRail]

The main reason I posted this particular article as to highlight the complete inversion of the planning process compared to Australian norms.

This kind of thing is very much what I'd like to see here when it comes to developments like Ripley Valley (and even then I wonder why we need to have a new corridor rather than instead putting it at Walloon on an existing line).

Land tenure at Walloon and thereabouts would be unworkable I expect, being largely historical farmland with many owners as opposed to (until recent years) unallocated land in the Ripley Valley.

Nice idea, but not likely to result unless somebody can buy up huge swathes of the countryside in common ownership - this would include the State, which needs to provide compensation.  Much cheaper fiscally to just release new land, which is of course why we have urban sprawl, but if done right (ie with transit and services in place) it can work.  Springfield is a much better example than offerings in the past few decades, and Ripley, Flagstone and Caloundra South should be better yet as all will be provisioned for rail - I do get the shivers about Yarrabilba though.