I guess it depends on the circumstances.
For example, if going through parkland, then use of the same grass as the
parkland and getting the parks people to maintain it would seem to be most
sensible. Much of the grass in Australia can die off in Summer, and regrow
as soon as it rains. If it's in a prestige location (such as Canberra, and
the bureaucrats are worried about the view from their precious
castle/parliament house), then it can be irrigated and mown like existing
lawns are.
If it's not in a highly visible area, then why not just use open ballast
track?
Open ballast track and open ballast with grass overlay are so much cheaper
than concrete, it's hard to imagine why so much concrete was used in the
CSELR anyway. It's almost like TfNSW deliberately set out to frustrate the
Government by deliberately making the project as uneconomic as possible.
Mark Skinner
On Sat, 18 May 2019, 9:52 am 'Richard Youl' via TramsDownUnder, <
tramsdownunder@...> wrote:
> I find grassed track as attractive as anyone else but putting the theory
> into practice seems to be a stumbling block which seems to behind some
> planners opposed to this.
>
> The screen shots below came from a video I took at Box Hill a few months
> ago. Some of it seems to follow the best of Sydney traditions - If it
> grows, it grows. If not, too bad. And perhaps the undersides of passing
> trams stop it growing too tall.
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
>
> On 17 May 2019, at 16:34, Greg Sutherland gregsutherland@...>
> wrote:
>
> Transport for NSW is now championing "Green Track for Parramatta".
>
>
> http://www.parramattalightrail.nsw.gov.au/news/green-track-parramatta-light-rail
>
> They have financially supported and distributed a University of Western
> Sydney technical report as part of this process
>
> https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws%3A48951
> This is despite rejecting "Green Track" for the CSELR (Sydney Light rail!
>
> It would appear that they have lost faith in their consultants Parson
> Brinkerhoff (PB), now WSP since TfNSW accepted their "expert advice" in
> 2014 to solely use massed concrete through the Centennial Parklands,
> Randwick Racecourse and Anzac Parade/ Allison Road corridors of the CSELR..
>
> TfNSW also appears to now be accepting the validity of the 2015 report on
> "Green Track" prepared by the City of Sydney.
>
>
>
> The issue of green (grass) track was formally raised during the CSELR EIS
> process prior to the project being approved.
>
> Parsons Brinkerhoff (PB) TfNSW's consultant (now known as WSP) for the
> process noted:
>
> CBD AND SOUTH EAST LIGHT RAIL PROJECT
>
> *SUBMISSIONS REPORT*
>
> *Incorporating Preferred Infrastructure Report*
>
> Volume 1 – Main Volume
>
> March 2014
>
> See
>
> 5.5.6 Landscaping and public domainP5-73
>
> Summary of issues raised
>
> A summary of the issues raised regarding landscaping and the public domain
> follows:
>
> (snip)
>
> • Use grass instead of concrete in the park and roadside sections of the
> system as used
>
> elsewhere in the world.
>
> (snip)
>
>
>
> *PB then stated their/TfNSW's endorsed reply *
>
> *Response*
>
> *P 5-75 Consideration was given to grass bed track during the development
> of the definition design. While acknowledging that grass bed track could
> provide some benefits with regard to visual and landscape amenity along the
> alignment, the ongoing maintenance of the grass bed tracks, in particular
> watering requirements, was not considered to be economically viable or
> environmentally sustainable in the long term. *
>
>
> So in2015 it could be said "PB (a US multinational) are still refusing
> to accept that outside the US the vast majority of modern light rail
> systems incorporate grass track sections wherever possible. Given that the
> tracks will traverse the Centennial Parklands, Randwick Racecourse and UNSW
> it is bizarre to not consult these and other bodies on how to make grass
> thrive economically in Australia."
>
> See also the attached report from the City of Sydney.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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> <2015 521089 Report - Grassed tracks in Wimbo Park_JUNE 2015.docx.pdf>
>
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