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@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml Over the past few weeks, The Age has run an interesting series looking at whether Clayton, Box Hill or Sunshine could become a Parramatta-style second CBD for Melbourne.

Given Melbourne's massive suburban sprawl, a second CBD (or four) is definitely needed.

For what it's worth, I think Box Hill is the closest, except for the lack of office space and company headquarters there. But the argument for Sunshine is growing...

"Of the three, Sunshine requires the most effort and imagination: it has little medium-density development and limited job options for highly skilled workers. Tired roads are crammed with traffic or unfriendly to walkers and cyclists, and the area still has high levels of disadvantage.

"However, elevating this suburb to mini-CBD status would be transformative for the area and the greater western metropolitan region.

"Following the expected completion of the airport rail in 2029, Sunshine station will be the link between Melbourne Airport and the rest of metropolitan Melbourne, as well as parts of regional Victoria. It would also eventually benefit from being a stop on the Suburban Rail Loop if the western and northern sections are ever funded."

The case for Sunshine: https://www.theage.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p5cvjh

The case for Box Hill: https://www.theage.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p5cvjf

The case for Clayton: https://www.theage.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p5cvhy

vicpol #Urbanism #UrbanPlanning #Sunshine #Victoria #Melbourne

@HiddenLayer5 For everyone following along from Mastodon, here's @RMTransit 's video on why North America can have walkable cities: https://youtu.be/nCgFYReYr44

Urbanism #UrbanPlanning #Walkability

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml A railway connecting Chadstone, Monash Uni and Rowville to the city is an idea whose time has well and truly come.

Unfortunately, despite billions of dollars spent on new roads and countless lies from both sides of politics, it's never been built.

Just like the Doncaster train line, and the light rail extension to Knox.

From The Age:

"A train line to Rowville in Melbourne’s outer east was first proposed in 1969. But five decades later in the federal electorate of Aston, the car is still king.

"After rail through Knoxfield and Rowville to Ferntree Gully was proposed in 1969, several state governments toyed with the idea.

"Ted Baillieu’s Coalition government revived the Rowville link a little over a decade ago and identified a route, but the project was shelved until a central city rail line was built.

"Premier Daniel Andrews promised to plan a light rail Rowville link ahead of the 2018 state election, but it was soon put on the backburner and overshadowed by the Suburban Rail Loop – which does not run through Aston – and now federal Labor’s trackless rapid transit proposal."

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/a-rowville-train-line-was-proposed-54-years-ago-aston-residents-are-still-waiting-20230308-p5cqkt.html

VicPol #AusPol #Politics #Aston #Rowville #Monash #MonashUni #Railway #Railways #Train #Trains #Rail #Tram #Trams #LightRail #MassTransit #PublicTransport #Melbourne

@jroper @maegul @ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml An example of somewhere that has done this pedestrian mixed space well in Australia is Hornsby in NSW, along Florence Street.

The street is paved with stone rather than gravel; it's level with the footpath; the area where cars are permitted demarcated with bollards rather than a gutter, to as well as with seating and planters.

Oh, and you know who is (or at least was) the local mayor of Hornsby Shire Council?

Philip Ruddock.

Yep, that Philip Ruddock.

It's not that difficult to do a mixed pedestrian space well.

If even someone like Philip Ruddock can figure it out, then frankly Melbourne City Council has no excuses.

walkability #Hornsby #NSW #pedestrian #walking #cities #urbanism

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml Infrastructure Victoria is calling for sensible planning policies to put a stop to Melbourne's never-ending suburban sprawl.

From The Age: "In a major new report, Infrastructure Victoria has called for fast-tracked planning approvals for townhouses, relaxed zoning to permit more low-rise apartments and the abolishment of stamp duty and first-home-buyers subsidies to increase housing options and affordability.

"The agency’s report, released on Tuesday, says 1.3 million new homes need to be built in Melbourne to meet the projections that the city’s population will swell from 5 million people to more than 8 million over the next 30 years.

"But there will be mounting financial and social costs if that growth remains concentrated in the city’s outer-fringe “greenfield” areas, where tracts of farmland have been carved up for detached houses.

"Half a million people have moved to seven of Melbourne’s greenfield areas – the municipalities of Cardinia, Casey, Hume, Melton, Whittlesea, Wyndham and Mitchell – over the past decade, accounting for half of Victoria’s total population growth."

Melbourne #Victoria #VicPol #AusPol #Politics #Urbanism #UrbanPlanning #Development #Cities #Walkability

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/there-s-a-lot-at-stake-push-to-open-melbourne-s-suburbs-up-to-townhouses-apartments-20230327-p5cvii.html

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml The Melbourne City Council has just discovered that sticking up some signs that say "shared zone" isn't enough to make a great shared pedestrian space.

"Flinders Lane, Little Collins, Little Bourke and Little Lonsdale streets became “shared zones” in September 2020, with pedestrians given right of way and speed limits lowered from 40 km/h to 20 km/h.

"For the most part, pedestrians and drivers were unaware of the priority rules within the shared zone. Pedestrians generally waited for cars to pass before crossing the street and drivers were rarely observed yielding to pedestrians.”

"The review says the council should install more “traffic-calming” designs – like raised street sections, planter boxes or dining parklets – and paint or pave the streets to differentiate them from regular roads, where vehicles have priority."

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/melbourne-s-little-streets-were-meant-to-be-a-pedestrian-paradise-but-drivers-aren-t-sharing-20230328-p5cvv3.html

walkability #walking #streets #cities #Urbanism #UrbanPlanning #walk #cycling #bikes #CompleteStreets

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml Perth's north-south suburban sprawl is now among the worst in the world:

"Stretching 150km along the coast from Two Rocks in the north to Mandurah in the south, the Perth-Peel metropolitan area's length is starkly visible from space.

"Many consider it to be the longest city in the world — although it is not an exact science, and Sochi in Russia also has a claim."

What's to blame for all the sprawl? Yep, it's cars and freeways.

"What turbo-charged the sprawl was population and the creation of the Narrows Bridge interchange, which provided a link across the Swan River and paved the way for the development of the Kwinana and Mitchell Freeways along the coast."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-28/perth-grapples-with-sprawl-longest-city-in-world/102151954

wapol #WesternAustralia #WA #Perth #sprawl #cars #auspol #suburbs #Urbanism #UrbanPlanning

@TheOne From the article:

"After two successful test phases, the city’s decision has been made: bus and tram travel will become free for Montpellier’s residents. From December 2023, none will have to pay for public transport.

"In this way, the city aims to reduce air pollution, cut emissions and support disadvantaged groups.

"The measure is part of a 150 million euro package that also includes the construction of new bicycle lanes.

Anyone have thoughts on free public transport? Would it work in your city?

https://scoop.me/montpellier-free-public-transport/

planning #UrbanPlanning #transport #tram #trams #train #trains #ClimateCrisis #ClimatePolicy #railway #metro #cities

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml Some exciting news about Melbourne's metro tunnel:

"The Metro Tunnel’s stations are quickly taking form, with crews still working around the clock to get the twin nine-kilometre tunnels ready for the first test trains to begin in the second half of this year.

"As progress continues, the focus of the project is shifting from building the tunnels and stations to making sure the high-tech signalling, communications and other systems that allow trains to run safely are in place – making Melbourne a “turn-up-and-go” network, similar to world-class commuter cities like Singapore and London."

Full article here: https://www.railexpress.com.au/testing-phase-nears-for-metro-tunnel-project/

VicPol #Melbourne #Metro #Urbanism #UrbanPlanning #Train #Trains

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml "Melbourne’s level crossing removal scheme has been reviled as an “ugly concrete flyover”, praised as an election winner for Premier Daniel Andrews, but, until now, it’s never been viewed as art.

"That’s changed with the inclusion of the Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removal project in the National Gallery of Victoria’s latest blockbuster exhibition, Melbourne Now."

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/when-a-level-crossing-removal-project-becomes-art-20230324-p5cux4.html

train #trains #art #PublicTransport #urbanism #UrbanPlanning #vicpol

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml The ABC has called it for Labor.

So it's official: The trains were disrupted on the day Perrottet was voted out. A fitting farewell to his legacy.

auspol #nswvotes #NSWElection #nswelection2023 #nsw #Sydney #nswpol

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml Anthony Green says there's an early 6.7% swing towards Labor, almost 8% across Sydney.

"6.5%, that is the swing that Labor needs, and it's starting to appear."

If Perrottet loses this, major train disruptions on the day he's voted out would be a fitting farewell.

nsw #NSWElection #NSWElection2023 #NSWVotes #NSWpol #Sydney

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml On the same day NSW votes, there's now major train cancellations again across Western Sydney.

A fitting reminder of what's happened to train reliability across Sydney under the Perrottet government: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-25/sydney-trains-cancelled-delayed/102145600

nswpol #nswvotes #train #SydneyTrains #AusPol #nsw #Sydney

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml Bad intersection design led to a cyclist being hit by a car at this suburban intersection in Madison, WI.

In this video on @video , @madisonforall pinpoints some of the major design problems with the intersection, why they're a problem, and how to fix them.

https://urbanists.video/w/wRfa6wWmCKjKWPfs9QS7rJ

cycling #Urbanism #UrbanPlanning #Bikes #bicycle #bicycles #transport

@NoOne @ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml @heartlandurbanist @video You can't even call Amtrak a third-world railway system, because there are quite literally a number of developing countries that have better trains than Amtrak.

It's a system the Bulgarians would be ashamed of.

And Australia is not much better. Especially V/Line in Victoria.

vicpol #nswpol #train #trains #railways #Amtrak

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml In this unique travel video, @heartlandurbanist gives a first-hand look at the headaches that come with travelling interstate by train in many parts of the US: https://urbanists.video/w/mZbxAsn8Ps2qABrj4D56JG

"I wanted to take my dad to Chicago for his birthday, we ruled out flying because of the cost and risk of weather disruption and driving because of the distance and annoyance of having the car once in Chicago. Instead, we embarked on an elaborate trip by bus, carpool, and train. Why? Because Amtrak service in the Midwest is severely lacking, especially in Ohio."

The trip included such delights as being dropped off by a bus in a Dayton suburb without footpaths, and being up at 6am to catch one of the two Amtrak services from Toledo to Chicago.

This clip is hosted by the new Fediverse-connected urban planning video streaming site Urbanists.video @video

urbanism #UrbanPlanning #train #trains #travel #politics #transport #MassTransit #PublicTransport #Ohio #Amtrak

@maegul @ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml @alex @peertube @video So I just watched a video on my new favourite streaming site about why Cleveland, Ohio might just have America's best BRT (bus rapid transit) system.

Thanks to Matt Caffeey (@heartlandurbanist ) and his channel Heartland Urbanist (@heartlandurbanistchannel ) for publishing this video.

https://urbanists.video/w/h6p2mnKnwbGFaKpcHNgGD5

bus #BRT #BusRapidTransit #RapidTransit #PublicTransport #MassTransit #urbanism #UrbanPlanning

@maegul @ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml I really like it 😊

Just to cross-post to Mastodon: Urbanists.video is basically like YouTube for transport, cycling, and urban planning.

It's a free video website by @alex where you can upload clips about what's working, and what's not, in your community.

Best of all, because it uses PeerTube (@peertube ), your videos are automatically accessible from Mastodon and all other Fediverse platforms.

It's well worth checking out: https://urbanists.video/

planning #UrbanPlanning #urbanism #bikes #cycling #sustainability #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #transport #transit #MassTransit #cities #trains #trams #PublicTransport

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml At first glance, this is a brilliant circular economy and sustainable transport initiative.

"A Monash University team pioneering an eco-friendly alternative to the millions of railway sleepers across Australia has received a $500,000 research and development grant from the Victorian Government.

"Since 2015, Monash Institute of Railway Technology (Monash IRT), along with Victorian company Integrated Recycling, has been exploring the potential for transforming recycled plastics waste – such as shampoo bottles and plastic milk cartons – along with agricultural waste, into long-lasting composite plastic railway sleepers.

"The result has been the successful development of Duratrack sleepers, which have replaced timber sleepers in low-speed railway yards and sidings as part of the upgrade of Victorian regional lines including Shepparton, Warrnambool and the Murray Basin. The sleepers have also been widely trialled by tourist and heritage railways, Metro Trains Melbourne, V/Line and Queensland Rail."

https://www.railexpress.com.au/500000-grant-for-monash-sleepers-project/

rail #railway #trains #train #sustainability #CircularEconomy #VicPol #AusPol #research #Monash #MonashUni #transport #urbanism #UrbanPlanning #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Victoria #Melbourne

@ajsadauskas@lemmy.ml From The Guardian:

"SUVs accounted for more than 50% of new vehicles sold in Australia last year, a share which has almost doubled over the past decade. The uptick has prompted calls to tackle the trend by limiting tax incentives, building bus lane-style narrow lanes and more parking spots exclusively for small cars.

"The transport and cities director at the Grattan Institute, Marion Terrill, said tax rules for businesses and employees were subsidising the costs of buying a car and many saw this as an opportunity to upgrade.

"Terrill points to two tax incentives that she believes are behind the surge in sales of larger vehicles: the instant asset write-off for businesses, and the car concession in the fringe benefits tax."

I know tax incentives that favour car ownership over public transport is a topic that @danielbowen has spoken about a lot in the past.

It's time for some serious tax reforms on this front!

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/23/tax-perks-driving-surge-in-number-of-suvs-and-larger-vehicles-on-australian-roads-experts-say

planning #UrbanPlanning #AusPol #tax #politics #PublicTransport #MassTransit #Cars #cycling