28 August 2024

My fantasy south east tram network. I first did this in 2017, but with the very expensive idea of the suburban train loop since then, Ive added a line from Southland to Box Hill. The idea is that its mostly elevated, so it avoids traffic, and only stops at major roads. The routes are only an idea, linking train stations to things like Monash Uni and Chadstone, but could be different ones. Also, being a tram, the structure required is lighter, perhaps even a tube, like the one in the Hague, pictured, groovy ! Of course nobody living along the routes would want this out their front door, which is why everyone likes the tunnel idea. But this would be far less expensive and reach more people, and after all, who wants to go all the way from Southland to Box Hill anyway ? Im also imagining that all along the routes a lot of single house lots can be rezoned to allow flats maybe four or five storeys. Link to full map here South East Tram Network. Ive got 4 overlapping routes, a bit like the London Docklands Light Railway; one is the long discussed route to Rowville, along North Road, past Monash, and why not connect it through Elwood to St Kilda? Ive also got two routes that wiggle across to Chadstone Shopping Centre, thinking its a big a attracter, and one that connects Clayton Station to Glen Waverley via Monash Medical Centre and the Uni. Ive just added a Doncaster Line too, connecting that to the line along Springvale Road; the proposed Melbourne Metro 2 tunnel could/might include a heavy rail line to Doncaster, but since its only the one stop, that seems unlikely, and its not even in any planning stages. I sent that one down Hoddle Street (elevated) to Victoria Parade, since there would be fewer traffic lights, and then down Lonsdale Street, just because it doesnt have trams, but maybe better down Bourke, since Lonsdale is full of buses. At the other end, not sure that Donvale or Nunawading needs a tram, but maybe round there it would have much fewer stops. Its fun drawing lines on a map without any need to justify them !

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