Sunshine Coast Mass Transit Project

[Fares_Fair]

Sunshine Coast Daily
Tuesday 4th November 2014
There's no free ride when it comes to Coast rail link
by Kathy Sundstrom

SUNSHINE Coast ratepayers will be expected to pay a higher transport levy to help bolster the coffers for the proposed $2 billion light rail link between Caloundra and Maroochydore.

Mayor Mark Jamieson, unveiling the proposed network routes for community comment yesterday, said the increase was necessary.

The council is seeking feedback on the route options through Caloundra, Kawana, Mooloolaba and Maroochydore.

Cr Jamieson said it would be "delinquent" of the Sunshine Coast not to think of light rail and its funding.

He acknowledged that public transport was a state government responsibility, but said the council needed to be involved.

The council would look at contributing towards the project from its Transport Futures Fund, which uses funds from the $20 per ratepayer transport levy.

RELATED: Council seeks your input on light rail network options

Cr Jamieson did not say when the levy might be increased. He said it would be considered as part of budget deliberations.

Gold Coast Council increased ratepayer contributions to its transport fund so it had a "war chest" to pay for its recently opened light rail system, Cr Jamieson said.

"Sunshine Coast residents should be prepared for the same sort of thing."

A Gold Coast Council spokesman said the council contributed $120 million to its $1.6 billion light rail project.

Its transport levy was increased to $111 in 2009, with a portion used to fund light rail. It was increased again this financial year to $117.

The Sunshine Coast Council has already spent $2 million on an extensive feasibility study.

A comprehensive report is expected by December next year.

The Federal Government contributed $400,000 towards the study.

Cr Jamieson said light rail was about "improving the liveability and prosperity of the region".

"Light rail is recognised as a mode of transport that has many benefits beyond its role as a transport service and is currently operating or being planned and built in hundreds of cities around the world, including in Australia," he said.

If the feasibility study proves the project is viable, construction of the first phase could start in 2022 and be operational by 2025.

[ozbob]

Well done Sunshine Coast Council!

[red dragin]

$117 per year and you get a shiny new light rail system.

$400 per year and you get lots of empty buses....

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Sunshine Coast Council releases route options for proposed light rail

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily

[pandmaster]

I lived on the Sunshine Coast for most of my life and would love to see the light rail built. Up until now building more road infrastructure has been adequate to keep up with population growth. When I go back to visit I am noticing the early stages of congestion in the "peak" hours. The lack of congestion was one of the real draw cards for people to move there.

The way I see it they are at a crossroads: continue with the road-centric paradigm that has failed elsewhere or embrace public transport improvements. I see no reason why a Maroochydore - Mooloolaba - Kawana - Caloundra line would not be feasible. There is a reasonably dense population along that entire corridor.

The Sunshine Coast is LNP heartland unfortunately and thus there are very few votes to be won.

[achiruel]

$117 per year and you get a shiny new light rail system.

$400 per year and you get lots of empty buses....

Just imagine what kind of bus network you could have if that $400 was spent properly...

BulimbaGlider
CentenaryGlider
9xx CityConnectors

etc...

[SurfRail]

To be fair it took Ruddy, Albo and Infrastructure Australia to tip the $365m of federal funding in to build it.  Combine with $120m of GCCC funding and you get $485m, plus around $250m-ish from GoldlinQ's funding partners, and the State only had to tip in the rest.

Might be a while before this kind of favourable arrangement can be repeated elsewhere.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Light Rail - Route options now available for comment!

--> http://lightrail.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/sunshine-coast-light-rail

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Light-rail proponent got figures badly wrong: Main Roads

This is about the ' mag-lev ' ..

[bcasey]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Light-rail proponent got figures badly wrong: Main Roads

This is about the ' mag-lev ' ..

Yeah, that article's title is a bit misleading. Anyone who just looks at the title and doesn't read the article, or doesn't understand the difference between a mag-lev monorail and traditional ground-level light rail might get the wrong impression.

[riccardo]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> Light-rail proponent got figures badly wrong: Main Roads

This is about the ' mag-lev ' ..

Yeah, that article's title is a bit misleading. Anyone who just looks at the title and doesn't read the article, or doesn't understand the difference between a mag-lev monorail and traditional ground-level light rail might get the wrong impression.

i suspect that was intentional.

[Fares_Fair]

The Mag-Lev is a form of light rail, as are Trams and Mono-Rails.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> More than 700 have say on Coast's light rail plan

[Stillwater]

SCRC pushing light rail strongly, but I remain confused whether it also wants CoastConnect bus infrastructure to proceed in addition to.  Or is the light rail a substitute for bus?  Heavy rail still a component of the council's thinking for its Maroochydore Town Centre, where preliminary construction has started.

The council is unlikely to get all three at same time and, so long as discussion and consultation is taking place, won't get any one soon -- leaving Beerburrum-Nambour duplication at the head of the list by a country mile because of its dual freight-passenger benefits.  Beerburrum-Landsborough, as staged works, would serve the state government's planned Caloundra South development.  The worst sections of the track, however, are further north to Nambour.  There have been several reports proving the viability of B-N realignment and duplication, together with track augmentation (including long passing loops) between Nambour and Maryborough West.

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> It's time to make Coast's light rail a reality: Councillor

[verbatim9]

Heavy rail first to Maroochydore in the interim run Hybrid articulated buses on the proposed light rail route with all door boarding

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Sunshine Coast's light rail route chosen by residents

[ozbob]

Twitter

SunshineCoastCouncil ‏@CouncilSCC  5h

Imagine a fast, frequent, high-quality #sclightrail between Maroochydore—Caloundra http://buff.ly/1SRFlfn  #lightrail

[Stillwater]

Who knows what Clive Palmer has in mind for his now closed dinosaur resort at Coolum.  What a disaster that has become!  He was seen hosting a large group of Chinese around the other day.  Uncle Clive has spoken about building light rail from an 'international' Sunshine Coast Airport north to Coolum.  Maybe his Chinese friends have deep pockets and would contribute substantially to the cost of an Airport-Coolum leg for SC light rail, in conjunction with whatever they have planned at Coolum (probably a casino!)

[Stillwater]

It hasn't been funded and it hasn't been built, but the Sunshine Coast Light Rail project has picked up an urban planning gong:

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/rail-plans-score-a-gong/2787673/

[ozbob]

Well ... that's impressive hey?   

A whole new world of virtual infrastructure.   We could even rate the journeys? 

I give the Light Rail 9/10, just a gut feeling if you know what I mean ...

[colinw]

Don't forget to virtually touch of your virtual go card. Otherwise you may receive a penalty fare of 10 imaginary dollars.

[#Metro]

Did a rough map of potential Sunshine Coast LRT. It could be better and cheaper than the CAMCOS proposal. Issue with Heavy rail is that while it is fast, it doesn't fit into the urban areas well at all.

With LRT, you can run it in rural areas at high speed (buy the high-speed model) like a train, but in urban areas run it in the middle of roads like a LRT normally would. This would cut construction costs quite a lot I would think. It could even be staged.

LRT would wrap around Maroochydore much better than heavy rail would as well. Could continue to Nambour in high-speed mode.

Actually, there are lines like this in Germany (Karlsruhe). They just run in the countryside, then on roads in the towns and cities.

Concept https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zo2O13ByWclc.kEPJQjPvSj08&usp=sharing

Example - S70 LRT vehicle can go at 88 km/hr in service.
https://w3.usa.siemens.com/mobility/us/en/interurban-mobility/rail-solutions/high-speed-and-intercity-trains/Documents/SLC_DataSheet_2014_LR.pdf

[#Metro]

Estimated cost 55.2 km x 50 million/km = $2.8 BN,
Could be staged (Maroochydore-Caloundra), (Caloundra-Beerwah), (Nambour Maroochydore).
Funded from Land Tax and contributions from different levels of government.

Would be pricey, $280 per person, per year for the next 30 years, however some of that could be recaptured from development around the corridor (SC Council would have to relax building heights near stations).

Some savings from bus operations being simplified. BRT as a precursor along the alignment would also be possible.

Services could run every 10 minutes or so during the day.

[#Metro]

 
The main thing working against LRT in this section of the Sunshine Coast is that unlike the Gold Coast, which has very high density, SC Council has opted for single family homes. This means less people- fewer passengers PLUS fewer people to pay for the heavy infrastructure also.

A BRT superbus service running the 55km arc would be possible as an interim measure.

[SurfRail]

Is there a reason why it avoids the trip attractors around Mooloolaba and the higher density between there and Sunshine Plaza?  Seems a bit dubious following the preserved railway corridor for a service that intensive.

[#Metro]

Speed. Buses can serve that section well also, connecting LRT at both ends.

I imagine a bus route from Maroochydore, along that section, and then off to the University (not shown on map).

[OzGamer]

As well as missing the dense areas in Mooloolaba etc it misses the hospital precinct in Kawana. My suggestion is that the heavy rail is extended to Caloundra and no further and more traditional light rail connects from there with slowere average speed but much better accessibility to high density and trip generators.

Also, why the presumably expensive and low-ridership connection from Maroochydore to Nambour? If that ever justified a 15-minute frequency bus service I would be surprised.

[Arnz]

Nambour to Maroochydore has the existing half-hourly Route 610 route, which would serve its current functions for now and in the long term.  The only thing that may justify a extension is the expansion of the current operating hours of the 610 route.  Perhaps have the last service depart Maroochydore after 9pm on weekdays?

I agree a Nambour to Maroochydore LR link would be very expensive and considering the rural nature and cross-country function of the existing 610 route, the high costs of the LR wouldn't justify the construction between M'Dore and Nambour.

[hU0N]

I agree on the Mooloolaba point. It's probably the second most important activity centre between Caloundra and Coolum. If LRT replaces CAMCOS as the preferred public transport spine on the coast, then it shouldn't just follow the same alignment because the corridor is present. It should at least try to do a bit of what LRT does well, getting maximum advantage from Class B ROW. In the same vein, it should probably veer into Caloundra a little further south to connect Golden Beach / Pelican Waters.

[Arnz]

My suggested route is in this link.  I've took parts of the SC Council's options, as well as following parts of the 607 and most of the Northern (Mooloolaba-Maroochydore) end of the 600.  While this option may miss most of the Caloundra beaches (instead going via Stockland Shopping Centre, Caloundra High School, and the Caloundra Private Hospital instead), feeders and/or even a modified Route 600 could feed it into parts of the LR route.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zjlSvb-9yHB0.kqV4V3upGNw4&usp=sharing

[SurfRail]

I think that route has slightly too many kinks in it for a light rail line.  Aim should be to keep it as straight as possible.

It also seems to avoid a lot of major drawcards like the Bulcock St precinct in Caloundra, and most of the beachfront areas between there and Currimundi.

The weakness of some of the Gold Coast proposals put out today are that they do not in any way reduce the need to serve the GC Hwy corridor with its most frequent bus routes, and some of the proposals above are suffering from the same issue for places like Nicklin Way and Aerodrome Rd.

The development of Kawana doesn't particularly help I will admit - the whole thing is off-line.

[hU0N]

My suggested route is in this link.  I've took parts of the SC Council's options, as well as following parts of the 607 and most of the Northern (Mooloolaba-Maroochydore) end of the 600.  While this option may miss most of the Caloundra beaches (instead going via Stockland Shopping Centre, Caloundra High School, and the Caloundra Private Hospital instead), feeders and/or even a modified Route 600 could feed it into parts of the LR route.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zjlSvb-9yHB0.kqV4V3upGNw4&usp=sharing

I like this route.  Caloundra route sucks of course, because the street layout in Caloundra sucks.  You could perhaps go Tay..Leeding..Cooma..Knox..Ormuz..Bingera(or Minchinton)..Arthur..Ulm.  That would connect the Caloundra long distance bus station, the major accomodation buildings,  the civic centre and the main activity centre.  But this wouldn't be better, just different.

Beyond Caloundra, I would cut through the park at the north end of GCUH and run along the eastern footpath, then veer into innovation parkway, in place of the median parking.  This avoids Kawana Way, which I think will become a fairly pedestrian hostile environment over time.

Approaching Mooloolaba, I think you should veer off Brisbane Road, just past Culbara, construct a new LRT bridge over Tuckers Creek to Bindaree, then another new bridge over Mayes Canal to River Esplanade, about 100m east of the Brisbane Road bridge.  This keeps the LRT out of the tightest section of Brisbane Road, which can be congested at peak times, and it leaves open the option of a station in this section (which probably couldn't be accommodated in the narrow stretch of Brisbane Road.

[hU0N]

I think that route has slightly too many kinks in it for a light rail line.  Aim should be to keep it as straight as possible.

It also seems to avoid a lot of major drawcards like the Bulcock St precinct in Caloundra, and most of the beachfront areas between there and Currimundi.

The weakness of some of the Gold Coast proposals put out today are that they do not in any way reduce the need to serve the GC Hwy corridor with its most frequent bus routes, and some of the proposals above are suffering from the same issue for places like Nicklin Way and Aerodrome Rd.

The development of Kawana doesn't particularly help I will admit - the whole thing is off-line.

I think that Caloundra is a rather hard nut to crack.  You can get into Kings Beach via the Bulcock St precinct fairly straight forwardly, but getting out either involves a slow crawl through the back streets (none of which connect to each other), or reversing out the same way you came. To the north, your options are all limited by terrain that is way to steep for LRT.  About the only way out would be to cut through the Kings Beach Stage park, then follow Victoria Terrace all the way around to King Street, which is a hell of a detour for people travelling from Brisbane to points north.

The same goes for the beaches north of Kings.  You could get into them via Beerburrum..Elizabeth..Roderick..Edmund..King but getting out is a just a bunch of bad options.  You could take the long way around the headland on the eastern side (see above), or else take an inland route south of Dicky that goes kinda sorta near Moffatt, and skips Shelley, Kings and Bulcock beaches entirely.

Then on the northern fringe of Caloundra is Currimundi and Wurtulla, two suburbs that focussed on shopping centres and not on the adjacent beach.  The choice here is worse.  Either the LRT connects the beach, OR it connects the suburb.  Geographically it can't do both.

Point is, the way Caloundra is designed you can't really do LRT in a way that works properly and is still useful for riders from further afield.

[hU0N]

Or another option for Caloundra (and I am being serious) would be to tunnel 600m under Edmund St from about Burgess St to about Headlands Court.  The line would still climb (in tunnel) 15m vertically in 600m at a 1:40 grade, but at least this would be doable, while the surface grade of Edmund Street between Burgess and Queen is 1:7, which I expect, would be entirely impassable for LRT.

Such a scheme would put the LRT up to 20m under ground in places.

[SurfRail]

I think the difficulty with Caloundra was recognised and is immediately apparent when you look at what was proposed for CoastConnect - the real on road infrastructure only started on Nicklin Way.

One of many reasons I still think heavy rail to Caloundra and then to Maroochydore, with frequent local buses shadowing it closer to the coastline would still be the preferred way to do it.

[#Metro]

Nambour to Maroochydore has the existing half-hourly Route 610 route, which would serve its current functions for now and in the long term.  The only thing that may justify a extension is the expansion of the current operating hours of the 610 route.  Perhaps have the last service depart Maroochydore after 9pm on weekdays?

I agree a Nambour to Maroochydore LR link would be very expensive and considering the rural nature and cross-country function of the existing 610 route, the high costs of the LR wouldn't justify the construction between M'Dore and Nambour.

It can be staged as required. Just like the GC LRT is staged now. Can also be run as BRT in the early stages also.
I'm not too worried about the low ridership section between Nambour and Maroochydore. It's a bit like the section on the Gold Coast
Line between Beenleigh and Ormeau - you just run the service at very high speed, no stopping like you would any regional rail service.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Arnz]

I think the difficulty with Caloundra was recognised and is immediately apparent when you look at what was proposed for CoastConnect - the real on road infrastructure only started on Nicklin Way.

One of many reasons I still think heavy rail to Caloundra and then to Maroochydore, with frequent local buses shadowing it closer to the coastline would still be the preferred way to do it.

Unfortunately, I think CAMCOS has taken over Moreton Bay/Redcliffe's position as the 'never never' railway that gets dragged out every years, in addition to a stronger Benefit Cost Ratio for duplication/realignment of the NCL beyond Landsborough, even though walk-up patronage beyond Landsborough (except Nambour) is low.

I'd tip that the Maglev Bus from Brisbane to Caboolture would be more likely than CAMCOS anytime soon.

[Old Northern Road]

The only place on the Sunshine Coast where light rail would be suited is between Maroochydore and Mooloolaba along Alexandra Pde and Sixth Ave. Caloundra is probably too hilly. You would obviously never build light rail to Nambour let alone Landsborough and Beerwah.

CoastConnect is a far better proposal as it would serve more of the city. There would be three high frequency routes running between Caloundra and Maroochydore and one between Maroochydore and Noosa.