1. Urban Design. Current Land Uses

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1 1. Urban Design 1.1. Overview Urban design is concerned with the arrangement, appearance and function of our suburbs, towns and cities. It is both a process and an outcome of creating localities in which people live, engage with each other, and engage with the physical place around them. (Australian Government, 2013). As urban design deals with the factors mentioned above, it is obviously a very important area in such a project as this, as it is situated in such a suburban area. The following section will outline land uses in the area as well as urban design plans involved in all four design selections. Discussing how aesthetics, image, community issues, environmental sustainability and how the design will fit in with the government s plans to upgrade passenger rail services will impact each design specifically Current Land Uses Surrounding the Oaklands Park rail crossing are a number of residential homes, business and some government buildings which are all located on the map shown in figure 1. This will have to be taken into consideration when making the recommendation for the design. The less effect the project can have on these homes and businesses the better. This is discussed in greater detailed in the attached Environmental Impact Statement. Figure Location of station

2 Chapter: Urban Design 1.3. Current State of Station The Oaklands station is quite old, warn down and severely inadequate for today s requirements. The station boasts the 8th highest patronage for suburban train stations in Adelaide, and it is not up to standard. The shelter provided is not large enough to cover all users from the elements - leaving many people in the rain or the boiling sun, the lighting is very low and not very abundant leaving users feeling on edge when using the station after sunset and the stations security is minimal, leaving a lot to be desired. Not to mention that the station is ill equipped for handicapped access. The station is in quite an important location and is used to connect the Marion and Warradale shopping districts as well as providing access to the State Aquatic Centre. It has the potential to reduce congestion by solely being more appealing to the general public. At the moment the station is tucked away from view, a number of people would not even now it is located there. People will be more inclined to take public transport if the stations standards and popularity were both increased. The station could even be partnered up with a Park n Ride facility, making the ease of travel for users much greater, as parking is currently quite poor. If more people want to use public transport because it is visually appealing and easier, a reduction in congestion will follow. 1

3 Chapter: Urban Design 1.4. Design Options Design 1: Rail Overpass Aesthetics While rail overpasses can be made quite aesthetically pleasing as seen in figure 2, it is still quite a large structure that towers up above everything else in the area. This could bring up a lot of community concern as no matter how good it will look, it is still after all, a large steel structure that was not there before. Figure An artist s impression of the proposed rail overpass SOURCE: DATA/ASSETS/IMAGE/0003/85512/RAIL_OVERPASS.PNG Image A rail over pass will require the elevation of the station itself. Because of this the existing station will most likely need to be demolished and a new station can be constructed. One that addresses all the pit falls of the old station as mentioned in section 1.5. Thus the image will be increased, increasing popularity, increasing patrons and decreasing road traffic. 2

4 Chapter: Urban Design Community Issues Elevating the railway line means that there will be a lot of other structural framework that will have to be elevated; this may not be a welcoming feature in the community. Construction of the overpass may potentially harm the privacy of the properties nearby. Thus to protect the privacy of the nearby residents it would be necessary to bound the overhead pass with the help of barriers. The barriers would also play a role in terms of safety for the train using the rail. Another concern for the elevated rail line would be an increase in noise pollution and vibrations. This may be a problem that may require dealing with in order to minimise the impact on the local community. In terms of the construction of the railway line; no land will need to be acquired. The width of the Oakland Park railway station is long enough to cater an overpass and it is already owned by the Department of transport (DPTI) Environmental Sustainability An overpass will allow for all native trees and grasslands to be left untouched making it a very environmentally friendly option. It would even create room for more tree and grass plantations, etc Does it fit in with the Government Upgrade of Passenger Rail Services? An overpass will cut out the need to wait at the train stations boom gates, reducing congestion that will suffice for the increased traffic volumes of 2021 as well as increased traffic due to the new State Aquatic Centre and redevelopment of Marion Domain. As the train station will need to be elevated, the rail overpass design will work well in increasing the popularity of rail as a public transport. As long as all pitfalls of the old station are addressed as discussed in section 1.5, the image will be increased, increasing popularity, increasing patrons and decreasing road traffic. This works well with the 30 year plan for greater Adelaide, as rail networks need to be advanced, ensuring the interconnectedness between suburbs is increased to other modes of transport other than vehicles. 3

5 Chapter: Urban Design Design 2: Rail Underpass Aesthetics A rail underpass can be made very aesthetically pleasing. As much of an underpass is submerged underground and hidden from main view, there is not much to worry about aside form walls and railings. As the area is pretty visually poor the new construction will definitely increase its aesthetic appeal Image A rail underpass will increase the image of the rail service. However, more can be done to improve it, as the station can be left in its original condition this may not change people s opinions. More must be done to improve the image of the rail service, improving its popularity, which in turn will decrease road congestion Community Issues A rail underpass will increase unlit areas and provide vandals with an easy area to vandalise, thus increasing local crime. Excavations will increase air pollution in the form of dust. Large excavations will increase the time of construction which will be a hindrance for local residences, businesses and commuters. An underpass will require work around underground sewage, electrical and water supplies. This might become a problem to local residents as these services may need to be switched off for a certain time period Environmental Sustainability An underpass requires quite a large area of construction, because of this some trees will be cut down. These trees may also be home to local animals such as possums and birds. The construction will also require large excavations, removing large amounts of soil. 4

6 Chapter: Urban Design Does it fit in with the Government Upgrade of Passenger Rail Services? An underpass will cut out the need to wait at the train stations boom gates, reducing congestion that will suffice for the increased traffic volumes of 2021 as well as increased traffic due to the new State Aquatic Centre and redevelopment of Marion Domain. As the train station will remain untouched the underpass design does not work well in increasing the popularity of rail as a public transport. The rail will operate as well as it did previously. This hinders the 30 year plan for greater Adelaide, as rail networks need to be advanced ensuring the interconnectedness between suburbs is increased to other modes of transport other than vehicles. 5

7 Chapter: Urban Design Design 3: Road Overpass Aesthetics Aesthetically speaking a road overpass is the least desirable out of the three designs. It is very large, ugly, and could bring up a lot of community concern Image As the Seaford line could remain untouched the train services image would most likely stay the same Community Issues The road overpass would be an eyesore as it would tower over all local houses and business. As a road overpass is a very large construction it may require quite a lot of land acquisition. It will also be responsible for a lot of trees and grasslands being removed. The road over pass would bypass the local businesses close to the rail line destroying their business. The overpass would create new areas of dim lighting that would create new targets for vandals to graffiti. A road overpass would also take quite a large amount of time to complete, increasing disturbances to locals. The Marion Oaklands Transport Interchange Project Development Application claims that there is a number of large Sugar Gum, River Red Gum and exotic pine trees in the area surrounding the rail corridor and station; and that some of these trees are considered Significant Trees under the Development Act, In addition to this, undertaking the remaining railway track upgrade works shall not involve the removal and disturbance of the vegetation and trees within the vicinity of the site. These vegetation need to be protected in accordance to the vegetation protection requirements addressed in the Contract Tender under Contract Specific Requirements 155, Section 2. 6

8 Chapter: Urban Design Environmental Sustainability The road overpass and underpass are the least sustainable designs as they require the most land, thus destroying what little trees and grasslands there is in the area Does it fit in with the Government Upgrade of Passenger Rail Services? An overpass will cut out the need to wait at the train stations boom gates, reducing congestion that will suffice for the increased traffic volumes of 2021 as well as increased traffic due to the new State Aquatic Centre and redevelopment of Marion Domain. As the train station will remain untouched the overpass design does not work well in increasing the popularity of rail as a public transport. The rail will operate as well as it did previously. This hinders the 30 year plan for greater Adelaide, as rail networks need to be advanced ensuring the interconnectedness between suburbs is increased to other modes of transport other than vehicles. 7

9 Chapter: Urban Design Design 4: Road Underpass Aesthetics A road underpass can be made very aesthetically pleasing. As much of an underpass is submerged underground and hidden from main view, there is not much to worry about aside form walls and railings. As the area is pretty visually poor the new construction will definitely increase its aesthetic appeal. Community input will be integral for aesthetics, in an effort to make sure the locals are just as happy as the designers. Figure Typical road underpass SOURCE: Image A reduction in congestion will occur not just from increased ease of use on the road, but also from a popularity increase of the rail network. As a road underpass can basically be constructed keeping the station virtually untouched, this may not necessarily increase the popularity of the rail service, thus maximising the reduction in congestion Community Issues As most of the construction will be underground the community will have issue with disturbances to their sewage, water and power cables to name a few. A road underpass would bypass the local businesses that are located next to the rail crossing, negatively impacting the amount of business they receive. The Marion Oaklands Transport Interchange Project Development Application claims that there is a number of large Sugar Gum, River Red Gum and exotic pine trees in the area surrounding the rail corridor and station; and that some of these trees are considered Significant Trees under the Development Act, In addition to this, undertaking the remaining railway track upgrade works shall not involve the removal and disturbance of the vegetation and trees within the vicinity of the 8

10 Chapter: Urban Design site. These vegetation need to be protected in accordance to the vegetation protection requirements addressed in the Contract Tender under Contract Specific Requirements 155, Section 2. Extra land will need to be required as a road underpass is quite a large construction. The landowners have to be made aware of the project prior to the construction phase to avoid legal issues. Underpasses are a very time consuming and arduous project, it will take the longest out of all the designs, increasing disturbances to locals and commuters. Large scale excavations will increase air pollution in the form of dust and dirt Environmental Sustainability An underpass requires quite a large area of construction, because of this some trees will be cut down. These trees may also be home to local animals such as possums and birds. The construction will also require large excavations, removing large amounts of soil Does it fit in with the Government Upgrade of Passenger Rail Services? An underpass will cut out the need to wait at the train stations boom gates, reducing congestion that will suffice for the increased traffic volumes of 2021 as well as increased traffic due to the new State Aquatic Centre and redevelopment of Marion Domain. As the train station will remain untouched the underpass design does not work well in increasing the popularity of rail as a public transport. The rail will operate as well as it did previously. This hinders the 30 year plan for greater Adelaide, as rail networks need to be advanced ensuring the interconnectedness between suburbs is increased to other modes of transport other than vehicles. 9

11 Chapter: Urban Design 1.5. Community Knowledge Many projects become de-railed due to the simple reason of not sharing enough information with the local community. The local community can become suspicious of the activities of the developing companies and can become quite hostile very quickly. At Pear Consulting Engineers, we are very aware of this and so will strive to keep the local neighbourhood informed on all stages of the project. This will be done in the following ways: Certain plans and documents will be open to public viewing online Public Consultation sessions Advertising Plan and Documents Made Public Certain plans and documents will be made public on the City of Marion Council website. Available for easy access and perusing by the general public. Figure City of Marion website SOURCE: 1 0

12 Chapter: Urban Design Public Consultation Sessions Public consultations are a great way to hear how the community feels about the project, both allowing them to gain more information and to voice their own opinions and ideas. These sessions are easy to set up and will be advertised on the City of Marion Council website allowing people to book a seat in one of several that will run throughout the many stages of the project. Usually public consultations are run from community centres, as the city of Marion has many, one will be chosen closer to the actual date Advertising Advertising the project will not only help keep people informed as to what is going on, but will also help in improving the popularity of the train station itself, making it more well known. The advertising will be done in the forms of: Page advertisements on the City of Marion Council website Flyer drops in surrounding neighbourhoods Posters in surrounding neighbourhoods Local newspaper Radio Average Cost Flyer Drops Table Flyer drop rates Quantity Print & Distribution ($) eva.salmat.com.au

13 Chapter: Urban Design Posters Table Poster rates Print ($) Officeworks Distribution ($) Madpromo.com 0.2 per poster 0.9 per poster Local Newspaper Figure Messenger advertisement rates 1 2

14 Chapter: Pear Engineering Recommendations 2. Pear Engineering Recommendations 2.1. Rail Overpass Pear Engineering has completed a comprehensive review of the area and, through our findings, we determine that a Rail Overpass is the most feasible option for the grade separation. We believe that this option meets the requirements of the stakeholders, and will provide a long term, sustainable solution for the intersection of Diagonal and Morphett Roads. The Rail Overpass will allow for greater access and an improvement to connections to public transport services, whilst allowing for improved traffic flow safety through the intersection. It is predicted that this option will be able to cope with predicted traffic volumes for 2031, making this an attractive, long-term option. Pear Engineering anticipates a smooth construction process with minimal interruptions to traffic, during the construction phase, for both Morphett and Diagonal Roads. The construction of the overpass will not require any relocation of services. This option will not require large amounts of earthworks, leading to a more efficient and cost effective construction process. By constructing a Rail overpass, we can have a minimal impact on the immediate environment. It is predicted that there will be minimal land acquisitions and have no impact on existing trees in the immediate area. This option may even provide the option for new areas of vegetation to be created. We find that the construction of a Rail Overpass will be both cost effective and efficient. The estimated cost for these works is $22.6 million. 1 3

15 Chapter: Pear Engineering Recommendations 2.2. Cost Analysis Table 2.2-1: Estimated costs for the recommended Rail Overpass Expenses for Estimated cost in AUD Traffic signals and lights (including temporary features) $1,000,000 Labour Costs (8-12 months) $3,100,000 Road and lane markings $800,000 Transportation costs $400,000 Rail tracks (for 1 km) $1,100,000 (At a rate of 20% of price rise from year 2000 referring to Adelaide-Darwin Railway line) Parking management (Considering 200 cars) $950,000 Miscellaneous $1,000,000 Total Cost (Transport) $8,500,000 Composite Price of Bridge $12,159, Concrete Noise Wall $202, Labour $1,236, Total Cost (Stuctural) $13,600,000 Anchors $90,000 Site Establishment $7,600 Bored Piers $45,000 Base course $302,400 Prime & Sprayed Sealing $18,000 Total Cost (Geotechnical) $463,000 Total Cost (Approximate) $22,563,000 Above are the total costs from each division for the construction of the selected option, a rail overpass. Pear Engineering estimate that the total cost will be $22.6 million. It has been determined that there will be no costs involved from the relocation of services for this option, and therefore the costing for this department have been omitted. It is noted that the distribution of flyers and information will add to the costs, however this is likely to be marginal, and has not been included in the above costing. More information regarding these costs is available in Section 6.5. This is an approximate cost of works, and it must be noted that more accurate costing will require a detailed design analysis. This cost is valid through to the 11 th May

16 Chapter: Pear Engineering Recommendations 1 5

17 Chapter: References 3. References 3.1. Transport Division Aust Roads Hand Manual, guide to pavement technology, part 1, 2, Introduction to road design and Geometric Design, Guide to Road Design Feasibility study report for grade separation of Oaklands Park, PB, Oakland underpass concept Appendix C-DTEI land Acquisition, May 2007 Rawlinsons, 2009 Australian Construction Hand book 1 6

18 Chapter: Appendix A Rail Overpass Sketch Appendix A Rail Overpass Sketch RAIL OVERASS SKETCH 1 7

19 Chapter: Appendix A Rail Overpass Sketch Sketch of Rail Overpass 1 8

20 Chapter: Appendix B Road Overpass Sketch Appendix B Road Overpass Sketch ROAD OVERPASS SKETCH 1 9

21 Chapter: Appendix B Road Overpass Sketch Sketch of Road Overpass 2 0

22 Chapter: Appendix C Road Underpass Sketch Appendix C Road Underpass Sketch ROAD UNDERPASS SKETCH 2 1

23 Chapter: Appendix C Road Underpass Sketch Sketch of Road Underpass 2 2

24 Chapter: Appendix D Rail Underpass Sketch Appendix D Rail Underpass Sketch RAIL UNDERPASS SKETCH 2 3

25 Chapter: Appendix D Rail Underpass Sketch Sketch of Rail Underpass 2 4

26 Chapter: Appendix E Estimated Service Construction Times and Costs Appendix E Estimated Service Construction Times and Costs ESTIMATED SERVICE CONSTRUCTION TIMES AND COSTS 2 5

27 Chapter: Appendix E Estimated Service Construction Times and Costs Itemised Service Construction Time and Cost Gas steel mains NOT in winter, Preferable late at night (one night) The cost of relocating the 66kv line is very excessive and is beyond feasibility Electricity 11kv & transformers 4 hour periods Transformers $100,000 each, Moving poles $25,000 each, Laying 11kv underground cable $1000/m, Laying LV underground cable $800/m Communications fibre/cable/node points/inspection pits Multi stages for months Large inspection pits $80,000,Node points $200,000 Water 700/950/1200 Sewer Trunk hours for 950, and even less for the 1200 Two or three days 950dia allow $3000/m, 1200 dia allow $ 4000/m 525 dia allow $2000/m, 150dia allow $ 1100/m, Inspection/maintenance pits $10,000 ea Stormwater 950 mm Side entry pits $5000ea, Junction boxes $15,000ea; 900 dia $1000/m,375 dia $500/m. Estimated Service Cost for Each Option Stormwater Electricity Communications Water Sewer Total Road overpass 250, ,000 Road underpass 135, , , ,000 1,860,000 Rail overpass Rail underpass 50,000 50,000 60,000 20, ,

28 Chapter: Appendix F SA Power Networks Line Plans Appendix F SA Power Networks Line Plans SA POWER NETWORKS LINE PLANS 2 7

29 SA Power Networks Fibre Line Plan Chapter: Appendix F SA Power Networks Line Plans SA Power Networks 11KV Underground Line Plan 2 8

30 Chapter: Appendix G Telstra s Line Plans Appendix G Telstra s Line Plans TELSTRA S LINE PLANS 2 9

31 Chapter: Appendix G Telstra s Line Plans Telstra s Fibre Optic Lines Plan 3 0

32 Chapter: Appendix G Telstra s Line Plans 3 1

33 Chapter: Appendix H SA Water s Piping Plans Appendix H SA Water s Piping Plans SA WATER S PIPING PLANS 3 2

34 Chapter: Appendix H SA Water s Piping Plans SA Water s Wastewater Reticulation Plan SA Water s Potable Water Reticulation Plan 3 3

35 Chapter: Appendix I APA Group s Gas Pipeline Plan Appendix I APA Group s Gas Pipeline Plan APA GROUP S GAS PIPELINE PLAN 3 4

36 Chapter: Appendix I APA Group s Gas Pipeline Plan APA Group s Gas Pipeline Plan 3 5

37 Chapter: Appendix J Nextgen Group s Cable Plan Appendix J Nextgen Group s Cable Plan NEXTGEN GROUP S CABLE PLANS 3 6

38 Chapter: Appendix J Nextgen Group s Cable Plan Nextgen Group s Underground Cable Plan 3 7

39 Chapter: Appendix K Optus Line Plans Appendix K Optus Line Plans OPTUS LINE PLANS 3 8

40 Chapter: Appendix K Optus Line Plans Optus Overview Cable Plan 3 9

41 Chapter: Appendix K Optus Line Plans Optus Underground Cable Plan 4 0

42 Chapter: Appendix L Stormwater Plans Appendix L Stormwater Plans STORMWATER PLANS 4 1

43 Chapter: Appendix L Stormwater Plans Stormwater Plan 4 2

44 Chapter: Appendix M Optus Line Plans Appendix M Optus Line Plans OPTUS LINE PLANS 4 3

45 Chapter: Appendix M Optus Line Plans Nextgen Group s Underground Cable Plan 4 4

46 Chapter: Appendix N Atterberg Limit Test Results Appendix N Atterberg Limit Test Results ATTERBERG LIMIT TEST RESULTS 4 5

47 Chapter: Appendix N Atterberg Limit Test Results Atterberg Limit Test Results 4 6

48 Chapter: Appendix N Atterberg Limit Test Results 4 7

49 Chapter: Appendix O Particle Size Distribution Test Results Appendix O Particle Size Distribution Test Results PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION TEST RESULTS 4 8

50 Chapter: Appendix O Particle Size Distribution Test Results Particle Size Distribution Test Results 4 9

51 Chapter: Appendix O Particle Size Distribution Test Results 5 0

52 Chapter: Appendix P Tri-axial Shear Testing Results Appendix P Tri-axial Shear Testing Results TRI-AXIAL SHEAR TESTING RESULTS 5 1

53 Chapter: Appendix P Tri-axial Shear Testing Results Tri-axial Shear Testing Results 5 2