AARHUS LIGHT RAIL PROJECT

AARHUS LIGHT RAIL PROJECT

Integrating Land Use and Public Transportation Planning

Workshop, 10 October, 2012

Ole Sørensen

Project Manager Light Rail Secretariat

Established in 2007 by 8 municipalities in The Greater Aarhus

Area,The Central Denmark Region and Midttrafik

Task: Develop a high quality local and regional light rail system

•

The Aarhus Light Rail Project – a short presentation

•

What would you - from a public transport planners point of view - want

from city planners and local politicians

•

The problem of representing the benefits of light rail on city development in

Railway to Grenaa owned by the state 69 km Regional operated railway to Odder 26,5 km

First stage and later

extensions/lines

5

Infrastructure and operation,

stage 1

Ÿ  Conversion of two local railway lines,

Grenaa- and Odderbanen to light rail

Ÿ  12 km new and rebuild rail

infrastruc-ture in Aarhus through central corridor with extensive urban development

Ÿ  7½ minutes frequency between

Skejby University Hospital and Aarhus main station during the day

800,000 sq. m. residential and

commercial development along

the waterfront

•  Urban Media Space - is planned for

completion in 2014.

•  Navitas Park housing an engineering

school with 2.000 students - will be finished in 2014.

Aarhus University is expanding

•  30,000 students today and expanding with

10 and 15,000 over the next 10-15 years •  Extensive investment in bus priority lanes

along main corridor is converted into light rail.

Aarhus University Hospital

Expanding to one of the largest

hospitals in Scandinavia over the

next 10-15 years with 9.000

Bridge over the Egaa valley

•

360 m long bridge over the Egaa Valley

and major road infrastructure

•

17 m wide bridge

New towns at Lisbjerg and Elev

•  Lisbjerg: Dense housing and business

development with 20.000 inhabitants. •  Elev: 10.000 inhabitants

In a new political agreement in

the Danish Parliament settled

the 12

of June, 100 mio. Dkr.

is reserved to secure full

electrification of the project

including electrification of

Grenaabanen

One electrical vehicle

Aarhus Light Rail, legal and financial framework 1

•  A law establishing the legal framework for Aarhus Letbane was passed by the

Danish Parliament on the 8th _{of May 2012}

•  The law is based on a political agreement between the State, The City of Aarhus,

and the Central Denmark Region signed on the 31th _{of October 2011. The}

agreement includes the financing of the project 1,2 bio. Dkr.

•  State is not participating in financing depots and vehicles. These are financed by

Aarhus and the region 0,9 bio. Dkr.

•  The law states that a client organization, Aarhus Letbane I/S takes over the

implementation of the project

•  Aarhus Letbane I/S has been established

•  The legal framework for establishing Aarhus Light Rail is expected to copied in

Aarhus Letbane I/S

Builds new infrastructure and buys vehicles City of Aarhus 47,2%

Danish State 47,0%

Central Denmark Region 5,8%

Risk sharing: Financial risks is carried in these proportions

Operations and Infrastructure Company

Responsible for operation and infrastructure City of Aarhus

Central Denmark Region

Midttrafik

Tendering of operation

Midtjyske Jernbaner

Management and maintenance of infrastructure

(Banedanmark still to maintain Grenaabanen)

Tendering structure

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Civil works – offered in a negotiated framework contracts with PQ

•

Transport Package – offered in a negotiated Design – Build contract with

PQ

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Traffic Operation offered separately in a negotiated tender with PQ. (Not

STOPS AND PLATFORMS

•  Platform lengths:

•  Platforms at Harbour front: 80 m

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What would you from a public transport planners point of view want from

city planners an local politicians?

Localization of workspaces an transport behaviour

Car use in relation to localization of office workspaces in the greater Copenhagen Area (Share of employed using car for travelling to work)

Share of employed using public transport in relation to distance to station

PUBLICADMINISTRATION

INSURANCE COMPANIES

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The problem of representing the benefits of light rail on city development in

Socio-economic Analysis (Cost Benefit Analysis)

Politicians wants projects that supports a liveable city by reducing pressures from car traffic Economists mainly compare Generalized Travel Costs in evaluating the project

The problem of forecasting city development

Cost benefit calculations •  Basic alternative

The problem of forecasting city development

Basic alternative

Time

Cost bene

fit calculati ons •  Project alte

rnative

Cost bene

fit calcula_tions • 

Basic alte_rnative

Other paradoxes in cost benefit analysis puzzling politicians

•  A light rail project unavoidably causes delays in car traffic thereby reducing car traffic.

This is punished heavily in the cost benefit analysis.

Wasn't reduction of pressure of car traffic one of the main goals of the project?

•  Positive effects on city environment by reduction of car traffic and reduction of space for cars in the in central urban area is not easily quantified or not quantified at all.

Wasn’t this a main target of the project?

•  In Danish cost benefit analysis it is not allowed to calculate with a comfort factor

(willingness to pay more for the comfort of a train ride compared to bus)

In other areas of life Danes seems to be willing enough to pay for comfort

•  The fall in taxes from reduction of gasoline because of reduction in car traffic is a cost for the project

www.letbanerimidttrafik.dk

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