Two Metro Rail Lines Auckland should Build
In my previous article I covered why Light Metro is the best technology of the next major stage of Auckland’s train network. Here I present a couple of lines that could be the basis for a future network. The lines are designed to form a mesh an enable transfers (especially in the CBD) but are of course just ideas. I am estimating costs as $300m/km for elevated sections and $1b/km for underground sections. Hence I have used elevated line wherever possible. As outlined in my previous article Light Metro is Automated, Grade Separated with Short Trains and High Frequencies. It is well suited to Auckland where requirements exceed Light Rail but a full metro would be overkill. The key advantages of Light Metro over street running light rail is it’s high capacity, frequency and higher speed. Attempting to push Light Rail beyond it’s natural sweet-spot result in a grade-separated system that costs as much as Light Metro but is worse and often costs more to run.
The below table shows the capacity of a Light Metro line (in each direction). For Auckland Visit Bliss Harmony the stations outside the CBD could be serviced by buses to further increase coverage area. Trains could start at short length and frequency increased as high as possible before longer trains should be used. If the system is run with 4-car trains then each has the capacity over double one of the major Auckland motorways such as the Western or Southern. This line would upgrade the Northern Busway on the North Shore, run under the CBD and connect to the Airport in the South. The line would be grade separated above the road as much as possible since this is cheaper than under-grounding. It would be underground though the central city however. Total length would be around 36km of which around 5.5 would be underground. This would start at the exiting Albany bus centre and follow the Northern busway to Akoranga station.
It would then go along the shore until roughly opposite Sulphur point where it would either go in a tunnel or bridge over the Harbour to Wynyard Quarter. The Northern Busway should be kept South of Akoranga Station for use by buses from Takapuna, Northcote and Brikenhead. This would give the system more capacity and is easier than those people transferring from a bus to a train for such a short ride. Travel time from Albany to the Te Waihorotiu Station (Aotea) should hopefully be around 25 minutes. Once over the Harbour the line should head underground and have a series of stops in the Central City. The Te Waihorotiu CRL station is apparently already future-proofed with space for a North/South line. The station will effectively be the centre of the Auckland System. There should also be a surface Light Rail line nearby on Queen Street. The University station would be quite deep and probably be a an elevator-only station.
South of Grafton Valley the line would go under the domain before going through Newmarket. The line could either be above or below ground though Newmarket but will be above ground once it reach Manukau Road. Update: Feedback has convinced me the line should have a stop under Park Road near the Hospital and another at the bottom of Carton Gore Rd. South of Newmarket the line will travel above Manukau Rd and continue South through Onehunga and Mangere Bridge. The Southern Section would have roughly 16 stations and take over 18km and would take around 30 minutes to cover from the Airport to Te Waihorotiu/Aoetea Station. Previous proposals have followed the motorway but I’ve switched this to following roads inside the suburb of Mangere Bridge and giving the suburb 3 stations with the Millar Rd one having good connectivity to Favona. The Mangere Town Centre station would be a branch off the Bader Drive station.
It could be run as a shuttle. This line is intended to fill the gaps to the North of the existing Western Rail Line and use the Motorway corridor. Closer to town it will go above Great South Rd and Karangahape Rd. It will then do an above-ground spiral around the city to improve coverage and transfers. Total length would be around 20km and all above ground. This would run from Westgate to Karangahape Road mainly along the North Western Motorway and Great North Road (GNR). It would be roughly 16km long and hemp extract relief 100% overhead. Stops could be: Westgate Shopping Centre, Royal Road, Huruhuru Road, Lincoln Road, Te Atatu Road, Rosebank, Point Chevalier Shops, Zoo / MOTAT, Corner GNR & Bond St, Corner GNR & Williamson Ave, Corner GNR and Newton Rd, St Kevins Arcade. The St Kevins Arcade stop on Karangahape Rd should be designed to allow people to easily transfer to either the Dominion Rd Light rail on Queen St or the Karanga-a-Hape CRL station.
