GREEN TRACK FOR PARRAMATTA LIGHT RAIL Sebastian Pfautsch and Vanessa Howe Urban Ecosystem Science Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751. This document was produced with financial support from Transport for New South Wales, Government of NSW. With respect for Aboriginal cultural protocol and out of recognition that its campuses occupy their traditional lands, Western Sydney University acknowledges the Darug, Tharawal (also historically referred to as Dharawal), Gandangarra and Wiradjuri peoples and thanks them for their support of its work in their lands (Greater Western Sydney and beyond). Suggested citation: Pfautsch, S., Howe, V. 2018. Green Track for Parramatta Light Rail – a Review. Western Sydney University, 80 p. ©Western Sydney University. westernsydney.edu.au November, 2018. DOI: 10.26183/5c05fc021efb3 GREEN TRACK FOR PARRAMATTA LIGHT RAIL 3 1. INTRODUCTION CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 2.6 Similarities and Differences 32 LIST OF TABLES Key findings 6 2.7 Green Tracks in Australia 34 Table 1.1: Risks arising from climate 2.7.1 Box Hill, Melbourne 34 change. 12 1. INTRODUCTION 8 2.7.2 Victoria Square, Adelaide 37 Table 2.1: Climate indices of selected 1.1 What is Green Track? 8 cities around the world that maintain 2.8 Odd Green Tracks in Australia 39 1.2 Advantages and Benefits 10 green track. 18 1.3 Climate Change 12 3. PLANTS FOR GREEN TRACKS 41 Table 2.2: Climate indices for 1.4 Climate Projections 13 3.2 Background 41 Melbourne, Adelaide and Parramatta. 19 1.4.1 Climate Change in New 3.2 Maintenance of Vegetation 42 Table 2.3: Common variables for the establishment of vegetation on a South Wales 13 3.3 Light Rail Stops 42 sleeper and ballast track or slab 1.4.2 Climate Change in the 3.4 Topsoil Depth for Vegetated system. 33 Sydney Basin 13 Tracks 43 Table 3.1: Species description list 1.5 Green Track in Parramatta 14 3.5 Issues and Precautions 45 of both groundcovers and grasses 1.6 Aims 15 3.7 Green tile technology 52 suitable for green trach in Parramatta. 49 Table 3.2: Technical information about 2. GREEN TRACKS AROUND 4. IRRIGATION OF GREEN TRACKS 53 THE WORLD 16 selected plant species. 50 4.1 Background 53 2.1 The Köppen Climate Table 3.3: Plant species and nursery 4.2 The importance of Irrigation 55 Classification System 17 locations. 51 4.3 Drainage 56 2.2 Climate Analysis 18 Table 4.1: At a Glance – Irrigation with 4.4 Irrigation Systems for Green Pop-Up Sprinklers 59 2.3 Green Tracks in Temperate Tracks 57 Climates 21 Table 4.2: At a glance – Irrigation 4.4.1 Mobile Irrigation with Water with Sub-surface Mats. 63 2.3.1 Sofia, Bulgaria 21 Tankers 57 2.3.2 Basel, Switzerland 22 4.4.2 Pop-Up Sprinklers 59 2.3.3 Karlsruhe, Germany 23 4.4.3 Drip Irrigation Lines 60 2.3.4 Bilbao, Spain 23 4.4.4 KISSS Flat Irrigation System 62 2.3.5 Paris, France 24 4.4.5 Subsurface Textile Irrigation 63 2.3.6 Bordeaux, France 24 4.5 Smart Irrigation Systems 64 2.4 Green in Sub-tropical Climates 25 2.4.1 New Orleans, United States 25 5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARRAMATTA 65 2.4.2 Baltimore, United States 26 5.1 Track Design 65 2.4.3 Turin, Italy 26 5.2 Vegetation Cover 67 2.4.4 Kagoshima, Japan 27 5.3 Irrigation System 67 2.4.5 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China 27 5.4 Reference Designs 68 2.5 Green Tracks in 6. CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK 70 Mediterranean Climates 28 2.5.1 Portland, USA 28 7. REFERENCES 72 2.5.2 Porto, Portugal 29 8. IMAGE SOURCES 74 2.5.3 Madrid, Spain 30 9. APPENDICES 75 2.5.4 Barcelona, Spain 30 2.5.5 Athens, Greece 31 4 GREEN TRACK FOR PARRAMATTA LIGHT RAIL CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.15: Light rail train in Porto, Figure 4.2: Seasonal soil moisture Figure 1.1: The two major types of Portugal. 29 dynamics for two different track green track beds. 8 Figure 2.16: Grass track with types. 54 Figure 1.2: Natural global distribution intersecting pedestrian crossing Figure 4.3: Example of a cross of Sedum species. 9 in Madrid, Spain. 30 section of track type ‘Luas 2004’. 56 Figure 1.3: Water retention capacity of Figure 2.17: Line 3 of Barcelona Metro, Figure 4.4: Irrigation using a mobile green track. 10 Barcelona, Spain. 30 water tank after installation of turf on a light rail track. 57 Figure 1.4: Difference in linear noise Figure 2.18: Light rail with green emissions from three different track track in Athens, Greece. 31 Figure 4.5: Pop-up sprinklers. 58 systems compared to conventional Figure 2.19: Grass tracks at Box Hill, Figure 4.6: Schematic drawing of the ballasted track. 11 Melbourne, Australia. 34 components required for a pop-up Figure 1.5: Draft visualisation of the Figure 2.20: Timeseries (2007–2016) sprinkler system. 58 proposed green track on George of green track near the Interchange Figure 4.7: Pop-up sprinklers used for Street, adjacent to Robin Thomas at Box Hill, Melbourne. 35 irrigation of grass track in Paris, France. 59 Reserve, Parramatta. 14 Figure 2.21: Timeseries (2008-2017) Figure 4.8: Sub-surface drip irrigation Figure 2.1: The Köppen climate of green track at the intersection of system. 60 classification map. 17 Whitehorse Road and Nelson Road Figure 4.9: Sub-surface drip tape Figure 2.2: Relationship between in Box Hill, Melbourne. 36 network. 61 geographic location and climate Figure 2.22: Green track in Adelaide, Figure 4.10: KISSS Flat irrigation indices of cities around the world Australia. 37 system. 62 that maintain green track. 20 Figure 2.23: Time series of green Figure 4.11: Typical distribution Figure 2.3: Green track in Sofia, track in Adelaide. 38 patterns of subsurface irrigation Bulgaria. 21 Figure 2.24: The Portland Cable Tram. 39 systems. 62 Figure 2.4: Green track in Basel, Figure 2.25: Historic tramway Figure 4.12: Installation of a Switzerland. 22 in Adelaide. 40 subsurface irrigation mat. 63 Figure 2.5: A Grass track bed in Figure 2.26: Historic green track in Figure 4.13: Hydrawise App. 64 Karlsruhe, Germany. 23 Sydney. 40 Figure 5.1: Cross-section of a parallel Figure 2.6:A tram on grass track Figure 2.27: A historical tram at the grade beam track. 65 in Bilbao, Spain. 23 Sydney Tramway Museum. 40 Figure 5.2: Parramatta Light Rail Figure 2.7: Green track in Paris, France. 24 Figure 3.1: Tram stop in Edinburgh. 42 green track reference design Figure 2.8: Green track in Bordeaux, Figure 3.2: Green track profile. 43 (not-contractual). 66 France. 24 Figure 3.3: Water thirsty and high Figure 5.3: Schematic soil profile for Figure 2.9: Green tracks in New maintenance Kikuyu grass used in Southbank green track. 66 Orleans, Louisiana, United States. 25 Victoria Square, Adelaide as a Figure 5.4: Planting and irrigation Figure 2.10: Light rail in Baltimore, track bed. 44 schematic for the proposed green Maryland, United States. 26 Figure 3.4: Pre-cultivated Dichondra track at Southbank, Melbourne. 67 Figure 2.11: Green track in Turin, Italy. 26 repens plant tiles. 52 Figure 5.5: Reference designs Figure 2.12: Impressions of green Figure 3.5: Zoysia tenuifolia used as for prospective green track in track in Kagoshima, Japan. 27 infill between pavers. 52 Melbourne. 69 Figure 2.13: Skytrain station in Figure 4.1: Long-term average Guangzhou, China. 27 rainfall and evapotranspiration at Figure 2.14: Grassed tracks in Sydney Olympic Park. 53 Portland, Oregon, United States. 28 GREEN TRACK FOR PARRAMATTA LIGHT RAIL 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This review assesses the viability of establishing green track as part of the Parramatta Light Rail project by Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW). Green track is anticipated to cover more than 900 metres of the new tram line. To date, green track at this scale has not been realised in Australia. The project represents a significant opportunity to demonstrate how responsible urban design can be implemented to simultaneously enhance local mobility and environmental sustainability. This document assists decision-making processes towards successful construction and operation of green track in Parramatta. KEY FINDINGS » Green track will perform » Use of compacted sub-grade is » Green track in Parramatta will need environmental functions that preferred. irrigation to maintain visual appeal improve the amenity and ecology of Compared to concrete, compacted and provide environmental functions. Parramatta. materials will not increase soil pH and This finding is based on (1) the Vegetated tracks help improve urban therefore plant nutrient availability. observed weak negative relationship life through reduction of rail noise, Organic acids leached from plants between average amounts of summer evaporative cooling from vegetated and top soil will not cause aggressive rainfall and geographic location of tracks, binding of particulate matter, corrosion. Compacted sub-grade may other green track systems, and (2) production of oxygen, providing provide additional (although limited) the high evaporation rates commonly habitat and biodiversity, filtering draining benefits, and comes at a observed in the summer climate of the pollutants from runoff and regulating lower cost and most likely at a lower Greater Sydney Basin (Chapter 4). stormwater drainage (Chapter 1). carbon footprint compared to concrete » A hybrid irrigation system is most (Chapter 3). efficient in delivering water. » Green track is possible in the It was found that using a hybrid system prevalent and anticipated climate of » Multiple species are suitable for between drip lines and irrigation mats, the Parramatta region.