CHAPTER 5 PROPOSAL OF AN ALTERNATIVE WATERFRONT - CBD LRT CONSTRUCTION PLAN
5.1 Route Setting
Based around the routing of the existing plan described in Chapter 4, an alternative plan was drawn up upon giving consideration to the problem areas in the existing plan and the transportation demand, etc. estimated following completion of the Waterfront development. The route of the alternative plan is shown in Figure 5-1.
The first alteration is that the crossing with the freeway exit situated between the existing urban district and the entrance to the Waterfront area has been avoided by making the line go straight on underneath the freeway and through the old Metro yard alongside the freeway. The length of the line does increase as a result of this diversion.
Secondly, the line has been changed from single track to double track. The reasoning behind this is that, in the case of single track line, it is impossible to increase the frequency of train services enough to cope with the greatly increased numbers of LRT users that can naturally be expected following completion of the Waterfront development in 2000.
The revised track length is 7.3 km in single track terms and, because the line will share existing roads, there will be many curves with a minimum curve radius of 15 m and much vertical gradient with a maximum gradient of 42‰. Cross sections are illustrated in Figures 5-2 through 5-5, and practically all four types will be adopted on sections laid along roads.
The line is composed of joint use and exclusive train use sections (see 5.5.1 for divisions). Regarding the area around the entrance to the Waterfront development area where the road is too narrow to allow the placing of double track, the line has been made to pass through existing buildings.
The station positions are basically the same as those in the existing plan with 18 stations set (in single track terms). The average distance between stations is approximately 400m.
