The draft preliminary design report for the Gautrain Rapid Rail link was released for public comment on Friday.
The report, released by the Gauteng department of public transport, roads and works, provides details of some of the stations planned between Johannesburg and Pretoria.
It also provides brief details of the route from Sandton to Johannesburg International airport, as well as of the properties expected to be affected on the route.
So far, the stations planned for the almost 80km of railway line and its 15km of tunnels will be: Johannesburg Park station, alongside Wolmarans Street; Rosebank station, situated under Oxford Street with one of the vehicle entrances on Baker Street; and Sandton station, which will be the deepest, under Rivonia Road, with the property bounded by West Street on the west.
Marlboro station will be situated at the Marlboro Drive/N3 interchange (the scene of a shooting in traffic on Friday). Midrand station will be located at ground level between Old Pretoria Road and Grand Central airport and between the Allandale and New Road intersections on the N1.
Centurion, Hatfield and Pretoria station details will be included in the next report.
From Sandton to Johannesburg International airport, the route will be: Sandton, Marlboro, Rhodesfield station and the airport, but details of the route from Marlboro will be included in the next report.
The network will consist of two spines — links between Johannesburg and Pretoria, and Sandton and Rhodesfield, for commuters, and an airline passenger service linking Sandton and the airport.
It will be built as a public private partnership regulated by the Public Finance Management Act.
The stations will each have several hundred parking bays, ranging from 850 at Park station to 650 in Rosebank and 1 700 for Sandton, which has been identified for a ”flagship” precinct with a larger concourse for its high passenger volume.
The report notes an allocation of space for airport check-in and baggage handling for the airport transfers.
A study of traffic flow to and from the stations includes how many people would just do drop-offs, what the waiting times would be at entrances and exits, and how many bays would be needed for buses.
The report also details the types of bridges to be used, where sound barriers will be erected, the geological conditions of the proposed route, a list of stands that could be affected and the impact on utilities along the route.
It also warns of severe congestion in the Rosebank and Sandton area and disruption to road users during construction.
Interested and affected parties may submit written comments on the draft preliminary design and environmental report by November 14, engineer Piet Goosen said.
Comments can also be posted to the Gautrain Project Office, Ten Sixty Six, 35 Pritchard Street, Johannesburg, 2000; faxed to 011 298 4916; or e-mailed to [email protected] (addressed to the project leader: Gautrain project, quoting reference number Gautrain/PD01).
The notice is not an approval of the design but a call for public comment. The next phase is expected to be released in 2006. — Sapa
On the net
The report online