Re: Congestion Relief Toll Tunnels

[neumannc <neumannc@ozemail.com.au>]

Cross posted from misc.transport.urban-transit for information.


Bradley Torr wrote:
> 
> > > Couldn't the stacks be equipped with emission control devices?
> > >
> > > John Mara
> >
> > Certainly they could.
> >
> > Douglas A. Willinger
> > Takoma Park Highway Design Studio
> 
> And indeed they are. The glossy brochures put out by the Roads and Traffic
> Authority of New South Wales say this (on the particular highway project
> referred to in this thread - the M5 East project) but, being just a glossy
> brochure, doesn't really get into all the gritty detail.
> 
> In any case, residents around the Sydney suburbs of Bardwell Park,
> Turrella, Earlwood (where the tunnels pass through) are concerned about the
> emissions that will be pumped forth into their area from the exhaust stacks
> (which will be operational when the freeway finally opens in, umm, fifty
> years from now. :-)
> 
> But it is patently obvious to me that they are already getting all these
> dreaded pollutants, in the form of exhaust fumes from many thousands of
> cars and trucks which pass through this area of Sydney every day on back
> streets and clogged roads, simply because the metropolitan area of Sydney
> (and especially this part) was obviously designed by someone who very much
> enjoyed smashing model trains together as a kid. What would be better - to
> have uncongested local streets and the noise of traffic stowed away
> underground and the exhaust fumes pumped into a stack equipped with
> emission control devices (located on an industrial estate too well away
> from homes), or to continue with the status quo - that is, residents having
> to put up with not being able to get out of their driveways without running
> into a traffic jam, traffic noise, etc.?
> 
> Sure, in this particular case, merely putting the traffic underground and
> pumping the fumes out into the atmosphere through an exhaust stack might
> not be the most perfect solution, but it is a damn sight better than what
> residents of the area and motorists who have no choice but to pass through
> (or take an equally pustulent route, or use Sydney's antiquated and
> unreliable public transport system) have to put up with now.
> 
> Regards,
> Bradley.