I don't think it will do anything to reduce EF traffic or congestion in Punt Road. But it is still a worthwhile addition to the system.
By my reckoning, the amount of new track required is 1.6 km. Almost exactly the same via Railway Parade, Dryburgh St and Victoria St to the existing tracks, or via Railway Parade, Adderley St and Hawke St to Victoria St. I now think that Hawke St would be better.
Connexions required are from east to west in Victoria St at Elizabeth St, and the missing bit in Victoria St between Swanston St and Spring St. I don't see any future for any turns at Peel St (route 55 - I think they mean route 57) and the logic of connecting to route 24? According to my map, a bit old I admit, it is a weekday peak hours only route from North Balwyn to Latrobe St. Changed perhaps? Thinks - do they want to run a branch from route 55 to North Melbourne Station?
More logical would be the connexion into Church St, to connect end on to the 78 or 79. We have discussed this junction before
Problems: -
Victoria Street in the eastern section where trams do not run (Swanston to Spring) is infested with right turn lanes. However, as this is only 750 m or thereabouts, it could conceivably be operated 'express' in the 'through' traffic lane, with the right turn lanes to the right of the tram - no tram stops.
Abbotsford St, between Dryburgh and Victoria St, would be good as the median appears to be as wide as two traffic lanes, so should accommodate reserved tram tracks easily. However, there is the awkward junction with King and Hawke Sts to be negotiated (also applies to the route via Dryburgh St.)
Note
Regards
Dudley Horscroft
----- Original Message -----
From: Roderick Smith
To: 'TramsDownUnder@...'
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2012 9:24 AM
Subject: [TramsDownUnder] New tram line? (Vic.)
Would the tram line do anything to reduce the current Eastern Fwy traffic,
and the congestion in Punt Rd?
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
From Wed.13.6.12 Melbourne 'Age'
<http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/greens-pitch-north-tram-link-20120612-208
j4.html>
Greens pitch north tram link.
Traffic congestion in North Melbourne.
A new cross-town tram line would be built across Melbourne's inner north and
bus services would be beefed up under a Greens alternative to the east-west
road link.
The Greens announced their transport policies for the city yesterday, firing
an early shot in their battle to wrest the state seat of Melbourne from
Labor at next month's byelection.
Central to the Greens' transport policies is their opposition to the
proposed east-west road tunnel, which the Baillieu government has named its
top transport priority.
The party's candidate, City of Melbourne councillor Cathy Oke, said a new
road would not solve the inner north's chronic traffic problems.
The minor party's alternative is a tram line from North Melbourne railway
station to Richmond, as well as upgrading the route 402 bus from Footscray
to East Melbourne at a cost of $1.6 million a year.
For the tram proposal to become reality, two kilometres of track would need
to be built along busy Victoria Street at the city's northern fringe. This
would connect route 55 to North Melbourne and route 24 to Richmond, cutting
out the need to travel into the city centre to get across town.
The uncosted proposal sparked accusations from Labor the Greens were on ''a
vote trawling exercise to come up with ideas they cannot possibly deliver
upon''.
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