Feature Rapid Transit and Related Urban Development in Tokyo
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F New Lines and Infrastructure in Greater Tokyo eature Rapid Transit and Related Urban Development in Tokyo Waterfront Area Masahiro Endo Introduction History of Rinkai Line Project 1983 Abandonment of Keiyo Freight Line belonging to former JNR The 12.2-km urban Rinkai Line links JR 1985 Report of Transport Policy Council (using freight lines for passenger transport) 1990 Formalization of position in Third Long-term Plan for Metropolitan Tokyo East’s Keiyo Line and the Yurakucho Line 1991 Foundation of Tokyo Waterfront Rapid Transit Railway Corporation (TWR) belonging to the Tokyo Metro; it starts from Acquisition of construction licence for first section Shin Kiba Station and runs to Osaki Station 1992 Start of construction of first section via Tokyo’s waterfront subcentre. 1994 Acquisition of construction licence for second section The Rinkai Line was built to promote 1996 Start of business between Shin Kiba and Tokyo Teleport stations track-side urban renewal, starting with the Start of construction of second section Tokyo waterfront area and also to improve 2000 Decision to name Rinkai Line 2001 Start of business between Tokyo Teleport and Tennozu Isle stations the convenience of railways in 2002 Start of business between Tennozu Isle and Osaki stations (opening of entire line) metropolitan Tokyo. Construction started in 1992 and the entire line was opened on 1 December 2002. This article details businesses became excessively focussed nearby homes. These subcentres would some of the construction and the current in the central business district (CBD), be linked by a modern transport status of track-side urban developments. resulting in typical urban problems, such infrastructure of railways and roads. The as long commuting times between remote 1980s saw remarkable globalization and suburban bed towns, traffic jams, air computerization, boosting planning for Rinkai Line Construction pollution, etc. the Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro To ameliorate these problems, the Tokyo subcentres, which were considered to be Tokyo waterfront subcentre Metropolitan Government (TMG) ‘inland’ areas. Additionally, construction Postwar reconstruction soon saw rapid developed a city planning policy where of a seventh subcentre on reclaimed land population concentration and business the city structure would change from at the edge of Tokyo Bay was planned as expansion in Tokyo. With continued central concentration to a type with many the Tokyo waterfront development. growth in the economic-boom period, subcentres offering a mixture of jobs and Today’s waterfront subcentre covers 442 ha. It has a daytime working Subcentres in Tokyo Metropolitan Area population of about 70,000 and a night- time resident population of about 42,000. KKumumagaagayaya Its completion as a futuristic city with Tsukuba business, commercial, cultural, TsuchiurTsuchiuraa residential, etc., functions is planned for Ushiku 2015, but construction is still very much OmiyaOmiya in progress. TTookkorozaorozawawa UrawaUrawa KashiwKashiwaa Development of such a large-scale urban Oume NarNaritaita subcentre naturally puts great importance IkebukuroIkebukuro Ueno/ Asakusa Kinshicho/ on good access to more-inland areas. Shinjuku Kameido Tachikaachikawawa Funabashi Metropolitan Expressway No. 12 and the Toshin Tokyokyoo ShibShibuyauya bay side Wangan urban motorway were Hachioji TamaTama NewNew ÔOsakisaki Chiba TownTown built to offer good road access to the Waterfront Machida Subcentre waterfront area and the Yurikamome KaKawasakiwasaki automated guideway transit (AGT) system Atsugi YYookkohama KisarazuKisarazu was built (see JRTR 16, pp. 15–19) to offer railway access. However, it soon became OdaOdawarawara YoYokkosuka Central wards clear that an urban rapid-transit railway Subcentre Tama ‘cores’ was needed to meet heavy and rising Business cores and subcentres transport demand. Major cities 38 Japan Railway & Transport Review 42 • December 2005 Re-tasking abandoned Keiyo Freight Line The infrastructure of the old Keiyo Freight Line soon attracted attention as offering potential for constructing an urban rapid- transit railway to the waterfront subcentre. Although the former Japanese National Railways (JNR) started construction of the Keiyo Freight Line from Kawasaki to Kisarazu, it was interrupted by the drop in rail freight after 1982. Although some sections were re-tasked as passenger sections, most sections, bridges and tunnels in Tokyo remained abandoned. On the other hand, the 1985 report of the Transport Policy Council described the basic policy of converting freight lines into passenger lines as the best way of using facilities in which investment had already been made. Furthermore, the report suggested that the TMG should re-task TWR’s Series 70-000 for Rinkai Line (TWR) facilities of the old Keiyo Freight Line. In 1990, the TMG’s third long-term plan Operation Plan mentioned promotion of JR East’s Saikyo Line extension to Osaki and strengthening Operating km 12.2 km (Shin Kiba to Osaki, 8 stations) traffic access to the waterfront subcentre, Operation speed 41 km/h Train sets 10 cars x 5, 6 cars x 5 giving concrete form to the route plans. Number of trains 9/h during morning rush hours, 8/h during day, 9/h during evening rush hours Through operation on 4/h during morning rush hours, 3/h during day, Plan Outline and Work Saikyo Line 2 to 3/h during evening rush hours (both directions) Journey times Shin Kiba–Osaki: 18 minutes Route (shortest route) Shinjuku–(Osaki)–Tokyo Teleport (Odaiba area): 23 minutes The 12.2-km route from Shin Kiba Station Shinjuku–(Osaki)–Kokusai-tenjijo: 25 minutes to Osaki Station via the Shinonome area, Shinjuku–(Osaki)–Shin Kiba: 30 minutes Shinjuku–(Osaki)–Shin Kiba–Maihama (Tokyo Disneyland): 30 minutes waterfront subcentre and Shinagawa Note: Excluding time for changing trains coastal area includes eight stations. Although each terminal station connects to other lines as described earlier, there Shinjuku Station and Tokyo Teleport raise funds for constructing the Rinkai Line are also connections with the Tokyo Station is greatly reduced to 23 minutes. and building it as quickly as possible. Monorail at Tennozu Isle Station, and with However, although there are through Other investors were JR East, Tokyo’s JR East’s Keihin-Tohoku Line and Tokyu’s tracks at Shin Kiba Station to JR East’s Shinagawa Ward, banks, etc. To match Oimachi Line at Oimachi Station. Every Keiyo Line, technical and other reasons progress with the waterfront subcentre station is barrier free and fully equipped prevent through services other than development, the line construction was with elevators and escalators. occasional special trains. implemented by dividing it into two sections. Operations Construction JR East’s Saikyo Line runs some through The Tokyo Waterfront Rapid Transit First section services on the Rinkai Line from Osaki Railway Corporation (TWR) was The first 4.9-km section from the Shin Kiba Station. As a result, the time between established as a third-sector company to to Tokyo Teleport stations was started Japan Railway & Transport Review 42 • December 2005 39 New Lines and Infrastructure in Greater Tokyo Returns from track-side Route and Cross Section of Rinkai Line development Shimbashi Railway construction requires enormous JR KeiyoKeiyo Line capital, especially because purchasing urban land is extremely difficult and very Hamamatsucho costly. As a result, many new lines are 2nd section opened in 2nd section opened in built underground, but underground December 2002 March 2001 Shin Kibakiba construction is also very expensive due JR YamanoteYamanote to the need to build deeper to avoid the Line Shinonome many pre-existing underground structures, Meguro YYuurriikamomekamome Line such as sewers, gas lines, other subways, ShinagawaShinagawa Kokusai-tenjijo etc. On the other hand, construction of Gotanda Tokyookyo TTeleporteleport new lines and stations stimulates business development around stations, causing ohoku Line Osaki Tennozu Isle 1st section opened in March 1996 land prices to jump. There is also a social eihin-T need to return some of the resultant increasing land value to the railway JR KKeihin-Tohoku Line ShinagaShinagawawa Seaside construction fund. Tokyu Oimachi Line Oimachi In the Rinkai Line development, the approach was to compel developers around stations to return some of their windfall profits as a burden charge, which covered the cost of purchasing the old ennozu Isle okusai-tenjijyo (m) Osaki12,000 mOimachi10,540Shinagawa m 8,670T m Seaside7,770 m Tokyo4,900 Teleport mK 3,510 Shinonomem 2,180 m Shin (m)Kiba 20 20 Keiyo Freight Line. Similarly, the burden 10 Port of Tokyo 10 charge on developers or local governments 0 0 at the Shinonome, Tennozu Isle, and -10 -10 Shinagawa Seaside stations covered almost -20 -20 -30 -30 50% of the construction costs. -40 -40 -50 -50 Urban Development of Second The second section L = 7,300 m The first section L = 4,900 m Section Opened Opened Opened in December 2002 in March 2001 in March 1996 The construction of four stations on the second section and the situation of surrounding urban development are based on the development situation in the subcontracted to the Japan Railway explained in more detail below. first stages of the waterfront subcentre. A Construction Public Corporation (JRCC). construction licence was obtained in Tennozu Isle November 1991 and work started in Second section The station at Tennozu Isle is located in March 1996. The second completely new underground an area where