This paper challenges traditional public transport interchange planning with an innovative approach to grade separating Melbourne's Eastern Rail Corridor between Box Hill and Ringwood. The existing rail line is mostly at grade between Box Hill and Ringwood thus causing several railway crossings of major arterial north south roads, Blackburn and Springvale Roads being most the obvious. The paper discusses putting the railway into a tunnel and using the space released above for a high-tech car park with a moving walkway enabling commuters to park anywhere along the old rail right of way and then using the moving walkway to access one of the major stations such as Ringwood or Blackburn. Parking fees at the new parking station would be used to pay for the costs of the rail tunnel and operation of the moving walkway. The relocation of the railway opens the opportunity for a new line, doubling the rail capacity for the corridor and significantly reducing rail travel times along the corridor. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E211903.
Abstract