Re: [Melbourne Australia] Mont Albert to Box Hill and Docklands tramway extensions

[Vaughan Williams <ender2000@my-deja.com>]

> Well it's not several hundred metres, it's about 100 metres. But yes,
I
> have always thought a tram terminus in Market Street at Main Street is
> the most logical place to put it.

Its almost 100 metres from the PTUA proposed terminus in Market St (at
main st) to the station (once you walk into the shopping centre and so
on). Its probably about 250 metres from the currently proposed terminus
to the station. I'll pace it out one of these days and let you know :)

> Well a speed limit has nothing to do with it, motorists are required
to
> stop behind a stopped tram. Full stop. Most do. However extending the
> footpath out to the tram line at stops on narrow roads to force
> motorists to stop is a good idea major traffic management issues if
> such a feature existed say at Union Rd/Whitehorse Rd which is a very
> busy intersection. Moving the tram terminus on is the best solution
<some snipping>

A speed limit (50 or 40) is a very important part of traffic calming. I
find that many motorists do not stop behind a stopped tram, and even
more accelerate past one that is *coming* to a stop even though
passengers have started to walk out to it. I wouldn't suggest extending
the *footpath* out on narrow roads, just having a raised pavement that
cars can drive over at low speed (a speed hump with a flat top).

On wider roads with safety zones, there should be a similar feature
with a Zebra crossing painted on it so that passengers can move easily
between the trams and the kerb rather than being crammed into the
safety zone being rained on and splashed by passing cars while they
wait for the lights to cycle.

Part of the point here is that roads with trams that aren't wide enough
for the trams to be in a segregated median (Plenty Rd, Burwood Hwy,
Dandenong Rd, etc) should not be major arterials and cars should be
discouraged from using them. Virtually all of the traffic on Toorak Rd
or Whitehorse Rd or High St Northcote has an alternative route that is
much more appropriate (such as the Eastern or monash Fwys or Dandenong
Rd or St Georges Rd). Any traffic that doesn't HAVE to use these roads
SHOULDN'T.

Trying to cover two issues in one post, I agree with you on any further
extension of the #109. Extending it beyond the logical terminus at BH
doesn't make much sense. Turning it into Station St and running it up
to Doncaster makes even less.

The #48 should be extended to Shoppingtown and good bus services in the
area (and preferably the E.D line) will do the rest. The best option
for a tram cross link (and, in my view, the only one that a case can be
made for if you want one at all) is a Caulfield - E.Kew or Ivanhoe
route along Burke Rd, as half of it is there already and I suspect I am
the only person ever to take the #72 from melbourne uni all the way to
Cotham Rd.

Vaughan

NB - Some of the above comments are my opinions only and not those of
the PTUA.


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