Woden Town Centre Upgrades

Started by Bus 400, March 27, 2013, 06:23:00 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Bus 400

Plans for Callam Street precinct, Westfield Woden expansion & detailed bus station design will be discussed at the next Woden Community on Wednesday, April 3 at the Hellenic Club starting at 19:30.

I will be attending this meeting as a member of the public.

Bus 400

While I'll go into a few more points tomorrow, a brief of tonight's meeting is that a revised pedestrian walkway from Woden Square to Edision Park will be created. With the possibility of the original churches centre wall to be once again used. Bus station will be full length of Bradley Street, with northbound buses departing via a once again connected Bowes Street. No changes to southbound exiting buses. Bus layover will be in car park next to Phillip Oval.

We are about at the stage Belconnen was back in 2008.

Once again I'll add a bit more tomorrow night.

Bus 400

#2
All of this is in points that I took down last night:

*Callam Street to become a pedestrian oriented centre.
*Bradley Street to become the bus station. Buses will go Launceston St, R Bowes St, C Bradley, R Callam & reverse for Melrose Dr bound services.
*Future proofing to be made for light rail & kerbside bus lane on Callam Street.
*The previous extensions made to the Cosmopolitan Building & Churches Centre to be made along with the walkway above the current bus station to make way for a continuous walkway from Woden Square to Edison Park which will be the same width as Cuty Walk.
*Woden's original plan was for that cement walkway above the current bus station to continue over Callam Street & onto Edison Park. But the cement walkway was only built 1/10th of the way.
*The current additional layover (or possibly Bowes St) to be used as the temporary bus station for a period of 18 months.
*Launceston Street to have major stop style bus shelters. With the possibility of the stops being spilt into 2 platforms on each side.
*Inving Street to be extended to meet Callam Street. The car park to the south east of Phillip Oval to become the new layover. The shops at the intersection of Launceston St/Inving St to be demolished & new shops to be built near the new layover.
*Carpark space at the Neptune Street Carpark will go from 660 odd to 1300 parking spots. With underground & rooftop parking. Lessons have been learnt from the current fresh food undercover parking. Neptune Street Carpark access will still be from Neptune Street.
* Westfield Woden's expansion DA expected in the next 8 months.
*Myer expected to be in the corner that is the current intersection of Bradley & Callam Streets. Myer expected to take 5,000sqm on each floor.
*Westfield expected to take over current taxi rank to the south & Bradley Street.
*Covered, air conditioned walkway expected on lower floor where Bradley Street now sits & meet up with restaurants further down, David Jones loading zone is to stay where it is now though.
*On a side note, a new tenant is expected in the former Harvey Norman location.

If anyone has any questions, I may be able to answer or can forward them onto the ESDD representative that was present at the meeting.


Barry Drive

#4
UPDATE: Media Release from Andrew Barr has now been posted on the ACT Bus website.

This is the layout of the proposed new Bus Station.



The new "Woden Interchange" street will align approximately with the exisiting southern side of Woden BS (platforms 3-6) with the new walkway connecting Woden Town Square with Woden Town Park occupying the current central spine and northern side (platforms 14-16).

There will be a modified (signalised) intersection at Launceston and Bowes St with a "bus priority" turn into Bowes St from the left lane.

Can't find ANY mention of a new bus layover - must be subject to a separate plan - but there is to be a small "bus dwell zone" on Easty St.

While not set in stone, the proposed platform usage is as follows:

1 - set down only
2 - Northbound Blue Rapids (including 111, 163* and 770)
3 - set down only
4 - 2, 3, 6, 22, 80, 791*, 792*
5 - set down only
6 - 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 60, 62, 111*, 163*, 300-319, 749, 770
7 - 4, 5, 61, 64, 65, 67, 68, 88, 732
8 - school services
9 - school services

* - this is what is shown in the documents; no additional details provided as to what the routes are.

In the longer term, southbound Blue Rapids may be moved to platform 9. QCity / Transborder routes may be assigned to platform 8.


Bus 400

Quote from: Buzz Killington on August 07, 2013, 02:08:27 PM
Layover facilities - http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubnote/pdf/PLAN-201323970-BUSFACILITIES-01.pdf

This is meant to be the new standard driver layover building. We should see the first of this building out at Anthony Rolfe Avenue layover in November (or so) this year.

I forget which map had it, but one showed a potential temporary layover on Easty Streeet .

Buzz Killington

Quote from: Bus 400 on August 07, 2013, 06:32:16 PM
I forget which map had it, but one showed a potential temporary layover on Easty Streeet .

Yes, believe there was a bay for two buses - think its for northbound intertowns commencing at woden.

Barry Drive

Layout of the temporary bus station:



Something else I found tucked away in one of the consultant's reports:

QuoteIt is noted that within the existing carpark, there are approximately 146 parking spaces that are dedicated to park & ride, with cars required to display a permit to park within these spaces. In order to offset the loss of parking capacity within this location, it is proposed to relocate the park & ride facility to Mawson via the expansion of the existing facility located adjacent to Athllon Drive. A sketch of the proposed expansion is provided in Appendix B indicating 145 new parking spaces to be constructed. Through relocating the park & ride from the Section 7 carpark, these existing spaces can be converted to general parking, thus maintaining the existing carparking capacity for local users.

As much as I don't object to further expansion of the Mawson Park & Ride (or to a reduction in peak period traffic in Woden Town Centre), this is an absurd suggestion. A far better suggestion would be to consider new parking arrangements such as offering all spaces as a combined Park & Ride / paid parking - by using MyWay-readable parking machines.

Bus 400

I don't know if I'm reading it wrong, but one of the reports mentions about either removing or moving the Corinna Street bus stop.
While it may be all good & well for the many young people to walk back down to Woden Bus Station. A lot of elderly from Weston Creek & Kambah use that stop after walking through Woden Plaza & then up to Woolworths & Coles & take some shopping home.

Buzz Killington

The issue with that stop was that there was no comparable stop on the inbound routes (so the oldies would have to walk up from the interchange) and that routes such as the 160 and 220 series have to double back up Launceston St when they're heading south.

I don't really see either as a big issue. Running inbound routes down Corinna isn't feasible and there's no real way around avoiding the double back on Launceston unless they want to skip the Phillip pool bus stop and come up Laundeston from the opposite end.

Bus 400

Or run Xpresso's from the city to Kambah/Wanniassa & Parkes/Barton to Woden only services.

The other advantage to sending these buses around to Corinna Street is that those who are on a bus from the City & may miss their bus at Woden. Can ump off at Launceston Street & guarantee a connection. With a gentlemen who has difficulty walking on the 62, who spends most days at the Tradies catches his bus home from outside the Tradies. If anyone has seen this gentlemen on the 62 or Platform 9 at Woden will know who I am talking about.

Also the advantage of the Southern Cross Club stop on Hindmarsh Drive is you can start your shopping from that end of Westfield or even go to the movies/Centrelink/walk to Phillip. Then walk thru to the bus station or Corinna Street.

Skitube

#12
Quote from: ACTbusspotter on August 07, 2013, 01:53:19 PM
While not set in stone, the proposed platform usage is as follows:

1 - set down only
2 - Northbound Blue Rapids (including 111, 163* and 770)
3 - set down only
4 - 2, 3, 6, 22, 80, 791*, 792*
5 - set down only
6 - 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 60, 62, 111*, 163*, 300-319, 749, 770
7 - 4, 5, 61, 64, 65, 67, 68, 88, 732
8 - school services
9 - school services


Rather interested to know why the southbound Blue Rapid routes are stuffed with all the Woden and Weston Creek routes, and 22 has been singled out from 21, 23 and 24...

The Love Guru

Quote from: Skitube on August 12, 2013, 11:17:00 AM
Rather interested to know why the southbound Blue Rapid routes are stuffed with all the Woden and Weston Creek routes, and 22 has been singled out from 21, 23 and 24...

That is due to some services that currently use Launceston Street and travel to or from the Melrose Drive end of it will travel into the Woden Bus Station via Bowes Place. There doesn't seem to be a lot of logic to the platform usage however it will all change before services commence. Don't read too much into it, it's only a conceptual drawing and is using network information from a future proposed network that will not exist.

Barry Drive

Quote from: Skitube on August 12, 2013, 11:17:00 AM
Rather interested to know why the southbound Blue Rapid routes are stuffed with all the Woden and Weston Creek routes, and 22 has been singled out from 21, 23 and 24...
My guess would be that in the non-existent network which these allocation were based on, route 22 will be the one which travels to Lyons via Launceston St.

As for the Southbound Blue Rapids, where else can they go?

I think the Road 1 platforms can be redesigned - 3 & 4 should be one continuous platform and 5 & 6 designed to put Blue Rapids only on 6 (make it 2 bus lengths) and the rest onto 5. I would also be inclined to move services to the Kiss & Ride location (btwn Road 1 and Bowes St) rather than have anything depart from Bowes St. The Bowes St platforms can then be turned into short-term layover/taxi ranks/loading zones/kiss & ride etc.

Bus 400

It's still fun to guess what could of been for the ghost network. Like I think the 791 & 792 would of replaced the 28,225-227,265 & 267 trips to Fairbairn, Campbell Park, Barton, etc. with the 68 replacing the 63 & 66.

Buzz Killington

Quote from: Bus 400 on August 14, 2013, 08:02:16 PM
with the 68 replacing the 63 & 66.

what, merging them?

I would have thought the 68 would be a renumbered 11.

Bus 400


Bus 400

Plans for the Teritary Variation thing for Phillip Oval Bus Layover will be shown at the Woden Community Council meeting this month.

Barry Drive

Development application has been approved, subject to a few conditions (such as replacement Park & Ride facilities must be provided before existing P&R spaces are removed).

Bus 400

For those who are interested, here is the full approval of the Woden Redevelopment http://www.wvcc.org.au/submissions/2013/Notice%20of%20Decision%20-%20DA201323970.pdf

Also the Woden Valley Community Councils response to the application can be found at http://www.wvcc.org.au/wvcc/index.php/WVCC/submission-da-201323970-block-8#more409

Bus 400

The latest word is that the upgraded bus interchange is still going ahead, but the Park & Ride situation is yet to be sorted out. Woden P&R may go & Mawson P&R may be expanded.

Bus 400

#22
The first demolition tender has been released, it's for the demolition of the former Police Station & Hidden Gardens. The tender request can be found at http://www.procurement.act.gov.au/tenders/tender_download/open_tenders/24547.110

Bus 400

According to this months Woden Community Council meeting, the work should be completed by June 2017.

Busfanatic101

Am I right in assuming that demolishon which has begun between bradly st and plt 5 is for the future bus station upgrades?also, what was originally there?

https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/-35.3447126,149.0873599//@-35.3446355,149.0869231,19z?hl=en

Bus 400

As far as I know, that is correct. The last plan was to connect Bradley Street with Bowes Street & onto Launceston Street.

The building they are demolishing was the Woden Police Station.

The next contract is to be awarded next month.

smitho

Not clear how the withdrawal of Myer from the Westfield redevelopment will affect the Town Centre upgrade, but presumably the footprint of the retailing precinct will be smaller.

Barry Drive

The footbridge is being demolished today.

The Bradley St side of Woden Interchange is scheduled to be closed again next Sunday.

Busfanatic101

Quote from: ACTbusspotter on November 23, 2014, 09:23:48 AM
The footbridge is being demolished today.

As in the one going over bowes st between the medibank building and the interchange?!?  :-\

Bus 400

#29
Nope, the one between the old Police Station & (Westfield) Woden Plaza. The bridge has now gone.
The footbridge you speak of will be the next to be demolished.
On a side note, it was good to see the NXTBUS PIDS have been altered to show the temporary platforms.

lukeo25

Looks weird in Woden now without police station there and the garden next to it is now gone as-well! , I remember when the old police station was still being used and the new one being built (hard to believe I've lived in Canberra 9yrs now!)

Buzz Killington

#31
Looks like the realignment of Corinna Street will go ahead soon - the name 'Garth Close' has been declared for a new road that looks like it will run alongside Aviation House from Furzer Street.

http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/di/2014-302/current/pdf/2014-302.pdf

Skitube

the police station and DIRECTION place, that block of land is completely flat

smitho

This afternoon, workers were spreading topsoil on the leveled block of land previously occupied by the Police Station and the 'secret garden'. So the indications are that the block will be grassed in the interim.

Also a black steel picket fence has been installed around the site. It is similar in appearance to those erected around ACT school grounds over past few years.


Barry Drive

Quote from: Bus 400 on October 16, 2014, 05:53:49 PM
The next contract is to be awarded next month.
Haven't found any details about the next contract. All that is stated is :

Quote from: ACT Economic DevelopmentTerritory budget funding for 2014-15 will also help prepare the area for major redevelopment and provide improvements to the amenity of the current bus interchange. The Territory has been working with other building owners in the bus interchange precinct and DAs that adapt these buildings to the new bus interchange design were approved in September 2014. This construction will begin in the first half of 2015 and continue for approximately nine months.

http://www.economicdevelopment.act.gov.au/have-your-say/community_engagement/current_activities/woden-bus-interchange-redevelopment

Also can't find the approved DAs.

Barry Drive

#35
From Monday 12 Jan, Woden platforms 16 & 17 will be closed (pl 16 departures will move to 15, but no info on what Transborder will do).

I have no idea what's happening, but one possibility is the removal of the beauty salon above pl 16. And/or the demolition of the old control room / driver toilets.

King of Buses

I've seen reference to it being the footbridue to the Sir Keithe Campbell building...which is the one over platform 15 isn't it? So I have no ididea what's right...

Barry Drive

#37
Yes. That bridge (between 14 & 15) will be removed next Sunday (18th). Which may be unrelated to the closure of 16/17 on Monday.

All of the northern side platforms will be closed on Sunday - 14-16 will leave from the opposite platform, with 11 moving to 8.

Buzz Killington

Since it hasn't been mentioned here, the closure of 16&17 was due to the demolition of the Beauty Salon.

Barry Drive

Quote from: ACTbusspotter on January 10, 2015, 05:49:32 PM
Yes. That bridge (between 14 & 15) will be removed next Sunday (18th).
Don't know if the closures went ahead or not, but the bridge is still there today.

Barry Drive

Bridge removal rescheduled for Sun 1 Feb.

Buzz Killington

The bridge has been removed, and platform 16 has reopened.

Bus 400

The Corinna Street road closure is a touch delayed.
But the bus stop markings at Woden Tradies ( northbound) have been moved back towards Bowes St. With a temp road sign showing the left lane will be closed & the right lane will be left turn & straight ahead traffic. On street parking on Furzer St has also be removed.
The diversion doesn't look active yet though.

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk


Bus 400

A drop in session for the Furzer St precinct is on this Friday.


Bus 400

The above work is now complete & buses have returned to a route following the road realignment.

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk


Sylvan Loves Buses

I can't see why they couldn't keep using the detour, cause they moved the bus stop back on Launceston, and added a traffic light intersection on Melrose. Sure, it doesn't actually matter which way the buses go, cause 1. there's no other bus stops, and 2. both ways take exactly the same amount of time to travel through (yes I timed it) - (although that new intersection does hold up some buses during peak by at least another minute).
It was just a thought, cause I still remember when buses went that way to try to be somewhat quicker many years ago, and that new right turn after coming off Melrose seems too tight on some occasions - esp when there's cars packed up and down in every parking spot.

Bus 400

#46
Another project for Woden is the demolition of Medibank House in Woden. As a part of this project, the boom gate nearby & 1 bus layover is set to also be demolished.

But Bowes Street will also be connected back up.

Barry Drive will have to confirm, but I also suspect an original Woden Bus Interchange section may also be removed.

http://www.planning.act.gov.au/development_applications/pubnote?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZhcHBzLmFjdHBsYS5hY3QuZ292LmF1JTJGcHVibm90ZSUyRnB1Ym5vdGVEZXRhaWxfbmV3LmFzcCUzRkRBX25vJTNEMjAxNzMxNTk1JmFsbD0x

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

Barry Drive

For some people, 2 Bowes Place is "Medibank House". The development application is for 15 Bowes Street - originally known as the Sir Keith Campbell Building, later Health Services Australia. Also the site of the former AMF Woden.

The only area which counts as an "original Woden Bus Interchange section" is the area between the "piano keys" layover and the existing building, which will be removed to build the new carpark access for the towers. While this alignment would have been the entry point to the original interchange, it was changed during the 1982 refurbishment anyway.

A few things to note from the application: Bowes Street, which was blocked off at Bowes Place will be reopened to provide vehicular access to the new building - the reopened road will be one way only and the current one way arrangement will be continued; Callam St / Bowes St will remain as BUS ONLY. Access to the building car park will be through a new road which will run in front of the piano keys - buses exiting the layover will need to be aware of vehicles entering; one layover space will be removed. Exit from the building car park will occur at platform 17/18. Two pedestrian crossings may be added inside the interchange area.

Buzz Killington

Looks like a small coffee shop or similar will open next to tip top supermarket, where the stairs used to be.

Sylvan Loves Buses

And now the new glass lift is screwed up and no one's been around to fix it for 2 weeks...

Barry Drive

Don't know whether it's due to the building works, but Woden platforms 17 18 & 19 will close from next week.

17 & 19 will move to 3 and 18 will return to 4.

Sylvan Loves Buses

Well all I can say to that is 'finally!'

It's been such a pain trying to catch buses from plt 18, esp when an arriving bus is late and I have to run for it most often missing cause I'm coming from behind...
I'd presume the new turn-in will be closed off for the buses using platforms 3 and 4, 1 and 2 will becmoe drop-offs again?

Bus 400

The first RFT has gone out for Woden Interchange.

 Being the Launceston layover & short term layover on Easty St. Plus rerouting through traffic along Easty & Wilbow St.

This should be completed by March 2022.

Callum Street Bus Interchange construction goes from Augusta '21 to March '22. Old Woden BS demolition to start April '22.

Woden CIT to open in 2025. Work then should start to change Belconnen CIT.

Barry Drive

#53
Callam Street was closed to regular traffic (between Launceston St and Bradley St) today.

Bus movements between Matilda St and Bowes St temporarily occur through the layover area.

Correction: is meant to be closed, but cars are ignoring the signs. The diversion through the layover is not yet occurring.