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Perth City Link (formerly Northbridge Link), is a collaborative project between the Australian Government, the Public Transport Authority (PTA), the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority (MRA) and the City of Perth.
Extending from the Perth Station to the new Perth Arena, the Perth City Link project will reconnect the city centre with Northbridge for the first time in more than 100 years.
The rail line separating Perth and Northbridge has always allowed easy access to the city, but limited the growth of the CBD to the north. Sinking the rail line and Wellington Street Bus Station will create a 13.5 hectare space with a wealth of exciting new possibilities.
Pedestrian Study
The purpose of Arup’s pedestrian study was to determine the level of success the project would have on reconnecting Perth CBD with Northbridge, as well as inform the capacity requirements of upgraded transport infrastructure.
To accurately complete the study, Arup used the Emme program – a gravity based model, to provide pedestrian flows based on land use and transport infrastructure provision, and in this case pedestrian paths.
Arup’s Perth Pedestrian Model (PPM) included the development of a person trip matrix for each of the modelled scenarios, a pedestrian infrastructure network, including future year scenarios and GIS presentation.
The PPM enabled Arup to accurately measure impact changes in land use patterns, transport infrastructure and other constraints on pedestrian movements – providing a valuable test for various concepts identified for the site.
A new vision for Perth
Planning for the Perth City Link commenced in 2003 with the City of Perth’s preparation of a document titled ‘Realising a new vision for Perth’, advocating sinking the rail line from the Horseshoe Bridge to the Freeway.
In 2004, it was announced that the MRA would develop an indicative development plan and business case assessment on sinking the rail line to connect Northbridge and the city.
In 2005, Western Australia’s Premier unveiled the proposal to sink the rail line to enable a connection between King and Lake Streets; an underground bus station to replace the ageing Wellington Street bus station, and subsequent redevelopment of the area.
Later that year, consultants to MRA developed a draft masterplan for the area, to guide development for the next 20 years. In 2007 the draft masterplan was launched for a period of community consultation and was revised based on community feedback received.
