Category Archives: Metro Rail

City of Port Phillip, Metro Tunnel

Our new Elms

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It may be a few years away but I have been in recent contact on our replacement trees with Bernedene Voss, Mayor of City of Port Phillip.  CYP have been telling us that they will be mature trees but I didn’t want to discover in 3 years that there are no such trees!

Below is correspondence on the matter from Greg Mitchell, the City of PP’s Senior Arborist.

Thank you for your email to Councillor Voss regarding replacement trees outside 400 St Kilda Road. I appreciate your interest in this matter and hope to address your concerns.

Council officers are working closely with Rail Projects Victoria, particularly with regard to the replacement trees throughout the Metro Tunnel project area, to ensure the best outcomes for the community.

We are currently in discussions with City of Melbourne officers to decide on the species of Elm to be planted on both sides of St Kilda Road, to ensure consistency. Once that decision is made – likely within the next few months – we will source the best quality stock and have them grown-on to an advanced size, ready for planting as soon as the locations are made available; expected to be about five years from now.

Rest assured, the new trees will be of the highest quality – and much larger specimens than our usual 45-litre stock – as we acknowledge the significance of this project, and the heritage of the St Kilda Road boulevard, requires a greater level of attention than that given to Council’s regular infill tree planting program.

Please contact me if you require any further information.

Metro Tunnel

Lots of CYP news

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CaptureI attended the Community Reference Group (CRG) today and there was quite a lot of news.  See this document 

A few quick notes

  • Some people (including some in Botanica) have not yet received their pre-condition report.  It has been escalated as a matter of urgency
  • The D Wall has started in the northern box (city end)
  • Our current St Kilda Rd driveway arrangement in only for about 6 weeks.
    • After that the ‘work site’ will take up the area from Bowen Cres to the southern edge of our driveway and across to the kerb.  ie Completely in front of our building
    • Access will be in from Bowen Lane and out towards the city to both Bowen Lane and Albert Rd.
  • Bowen Lane traffic towards Albert Rd will need to use some of the footpath.  Modifications to be made
  • Southern Box (outside us) will see ground anchors removed late next week
  • All CYP trucks should be covered, it is likely the ones uncovered are from 1 Bowen Cres.  Report CYP via the 1800
  • I requested that sourcing work is done for our mature replacement elms be commenced ASAP.  City of Melb said they regularly source mature elms with few issues
  • Artwork is being put in the ‘tunnel’ outside 390 St K Rd this week
  • A fab little ‘parklet’ is being constructed outside the Domain shops, between The Botanical (the pub not us) and the little bakery.  It will take 9 car bays but allow those shops a much bigger outside area.  Will run from mid December for 5 month trial.  May stay long term.  Above picture is just one – see the document for more
Metro Tunnel

Tram noise – latest news

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I’m back and you’ll get a couple of posts today from me.  The first and most important one…an update on the tram noise.

CYP / Yarra Trams / RPV have been carrying out all sorts of tests.  The good news is that they have a solution – they have found that a ‘friction modifier’ dramatically reduces the noise.  They ran a trial with Monash Uni testing the noise levels and it worked really well…but only for a short period of time…and they had to literally paint it on the tracks, not quite a sustainable solution.

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They have now found a Canadian company who can install an automated system but the installation will take two months.  It involves the installation of two 90 litre tanks that will drop the solution on to each set of tram wheels as they pass.  The tram will spread it along the track for around 400 metres.

So relief is coming – hopefully in the two months and not any longer than that!!

Metro Tunnel

Update from Metro Tunnel CRG Domain meeting

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Jan attended the CRG meeting in my absence – here are her notes

FYI. These are my notes from yesterday morning’s Domain Precinct Community Reference Group meeting. I’ve listed the main points made by each presenter that are of most relevance to Botanica.

 

John Goding & David Glossop, Cross Yarra Partnership: current & upcoming works update

 

Southern box – approx 2 wks behind schedule

  • Service proving @ 390 St Kilda Rd because high voltage cable very close by
  • Covered, well-lit walkway to be installed in front of 390 on Sat 21 July. Piling rig used for ground anchor removal has a very tall mast so pedestrians need to be protected from possible falling objects
  • D–wall construction to start in Oct
  • Botanica’s trees to be removed late July/Aug – may be affected by nearby anchor removal
  • Air quality monitors have been installed in MGS garden & Albert Reserve. Having a few issues which should be sorted this wk.

David O’Shaughnessy, Cross Yarra Partnership: public submission & design process update 

  • Station design – still working on canopy material, supports to be steel vs timber, drainage of roof canopy. Will take until Sept to bed down internal station issues.
  • Early 2019 there’ll be further info on design details
  • Dealing with public realm a big issue – lagging a little behind in design. Detailed design phase in 2019. No further public consultation/comment on public realm design.
  • Shrine entrance & lift – need to avoid Cobbers Statue so moving them along to the start of Domain Rd
  • Station entrances in Albert Reserve – maybe consolidate to one entrance instead of two. There’s a pinch point between one entrance & The Domain so maybe won’t have entrance near The Domain.
  • Windsor Oak not to be moved – not negotiable
  • Boer War monument may be located deeper into Albert Reserve?
  • Loading, drop off, disabled zones need to be maintained
  • Waste & logistics a challenge – no–one wants them located nearby
  • Needs of retailers in station space to be considered
  • Flood modelling being undertaken – will impact design
  • Ancillary structures – issues not yet resolved, decisions not yet made.
  • MGS rep asked re vibration impact on school of trains & vents in operation. Interestingly, assured trains not a prob but couldn’t be assured re vents!!
  • According to Simon Adams, a number of issues have been escalated from RPV to govt level for decision-making – location of bike lanes, number of traffic lanes & 58 tram route?

Simon Adams, Rail Projects Victoria: tram noise update

  • At a public mtg on 27 June, 25-30 residents were informed that there were 4 mitigation approaches to prob of tram squeal – track grinding, track lubrication with water cart, modification of the adjoining pavement & friction modifier application
  • Cause of tram squeal still not identified – have checked thru 2,000 docs
  • Qualitative noise measurements – 27 June – 6 July, 7-9am, 4-6pm, 15 individuals in 2 different locations noted noise, weather, tram type…
  • Quantitative – acoustic specialist monitored noise & frequency using special $30,000 equipment which measures frequency & can pick out squeal’s high pitch. Noise recorded pre and post track grinding. Will take a couple of weeks to analyse. As time passed, positive impact of track grinding went away
  • Temperature may have relevant impact on noise – on recent 2 degree morn, there was very loud squeal
  • On 4 July between 10am & 2pm a water cart flooded tracks on numerous occasions. The positive impact lasted 20 mins!

Brian Maddock, Yarra Trams

  • YT carried out friction modifier trials at Preston depot to determine if application will impact on tram operation eg braking –  speeds of 15, 20 & 30 kph, using emergency brakes. Applied friction modifier & carried out same tests, then watered tracks & repeated tests. Found NO effect on braking capacity of trams!
  • Need to go thru govt risk assessment before testing on tram tracks but hoping to trial on Thurs fortnight ie 26 July. Will apply friction modifier overnight with paint rollers! If noise reduction is successful, applicator pumps & pipes to be installed beside tracks to spread friction modifier.
  • Modification of pavement adjoining tracks another option. Looking to trial 50m of track next week. Cut either side of track & apply emulsion into grooves. We’ll be notified of timing.
  • On behalf of Botanica residents I thanked Simon, Brian & others involved for their efforts to solve this 3 month old prob.

 

Question time – some relevant issues raised

  • Status of condition/dilapidation reports for common & private properties
  • Poor traffic management, especially signage, associated with our road closure. Needs urgent attention.
  • Problems associated with public bin removal – rubbish, smokers, butts & our small garden fire last week.

Hope some of this is of interest.

 

Regards,

 

Jan