Re: [VIC] Box Hill tram extension

[Chris Brownbill <cbrnbill@enternet.com.au>]

The story I heard was that there was an agreement that all new tram tracks ever
constructed from now until doomsday would be on reserved track, so to retain the
current number of road lanes the road must be widened.

This could be true beacause when you look at all extensions built in the past x
years they are all reserved track - Bundoora, East Burwood, Airport West, even
the Docklands in Flinders and La Trobe streets is actually reserved track.  The
most recent new on-street track built in Melbourne I can think of would have
been the Spring Street line for the City Circle, and before that maybe the East
Preston to La Trobe Uni extension??

Anyway, today's Whithorse Gazette has an article mentioning the presentation
next Tuesday evening referred to in the posting below (although it quotes 8pm as
the starting time), and amongst other things says
"Tram extension works are expected to start early next year.  Plans to extend
the tram to Box hill have already been approved by Whitehorse Council.  The
extension will involve bulldozing parts of several Whitehorse Rd business sites,
Box Hill Bowls club and a residential garden.  Department of Infrastructure
Spokeswoman Susan Hopley said that the draft plans were still being examined"

"Route Operator Yarra Trams is obliged to complete the extension by June 2002".


David McLoughlin wrote:
> 
> W O Topp wrote:
> 
> >  A number of the issues that were
> > up for discussion between YT, VicRoads, DOI and Council such as road width
> > required and consequential land acquisition, and use of centre or side poles
> > have since been agreed upon, so the plan at Whitehorse Council is not the
> > latest version.
> 
> Why does there have to be any road acquisition? Whitehorse Rd beyond the
> Mont Albert terminus is at least as wide (and in places wider) than up
> to the present terminus, and the extension will mean the trams terminate
> on a private track rather than in the middle of the road at a dangerous,
> busy intersection.
> 
> David McLoughlin
> Auckland New Zealand