JACK KERSHAW has written, “as matter of national importance”, an open letter to the prime minister describing the stage 2 light rail route as disrespectful, destructive and failing to do justice to the capital and the ACT. “The nation can and must do better,” he says. This is an abridged version of his letter. 

Dear Prime Minister, 

Some Australians may be critical of the national capital, seeing it as pampered, and a waste of money. 

However, when they come here, or see it on TV or film, they invariably modify their views, and embrace an exemplary, world-class national capital city, replete with architecture, engineering and landscaping that is expressive, uplifting and respectful, especially in the Central National Area.

Certainly, the achievement of that was in the minds of Walter and Marion Burley Griffin, as well as the politicians, decision makers, and government officials who embraced the Griffins’ designs, and got on with the delivery of the best capital city they all could envisage.

Commonwealth and Kings Avenues form the two symmetrical sides of the place-defining National Triangle, together with their respective handsome matching bifurcated bridges over Lake Burley Griffin. 

The space between the twinning or bifurcation of each bridge continues the optics of fine landscaped median strips between the two carriageways of the avenues.

There appears to be no evidence that it was intention of early planners and the bridge designers, to use the space between the two carriageways of the bridges, at a later date, for say, tramtracks; or worse, in the case of the lake crossing, to build a new bridge for trams in between the two bridges, as currently proposed – an expensive and disruptive process. 

However, in the current plan for light rail stage 2, the spaces between carriageways along Commonwealth Avenue, including at the bridges, will be used for intrusive tramtrack infrastructure, and that clearly, is just plainly the wrong thing to do.

That’s also particularly the case with the median strip of Commonwealth Avenue south, where a very important cultural landscape, consisting of many significant established trees, will be sacrificed for the tramlines.

Despite comprehensive heritage studies, no binding heritage listing has apparently been given to Commonwealth Avenue, notably its bridges and median-strip landscaping; and the concern is that such obvious and appropriate citations have been excluded, in a paranoid way, in order to facilitate and expedite the installation of tramlines in the avenue and bridge median spaces.

At present, stage 2 light rail is divided into two parts – 2a, city to the lake near Commonwealth Park and 2b, from there to Woden via Commonwealth Avenue.

Initial work is commencing on the former, but the timing of latter appears to depend on the completion of separate extensive repair and refurbishment work on Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. Many wonder if stage 2b will ever materialise.

The current design and siting of subject light rail infrastructure falls short of that expected for arguably, Australia’s most important national precinct. 

The route has been described by one commentator as “constipated and myopic orthodoxy, redolent of the unsuccessful competition entries for the design of the Sydney Opera House”.

Part of its installation is underway (stage 2a), but there’s still time to get the subject route right, in the national interest, with panache and verve, and in a more timely way, while still meeting its ACT requirements – in fact, it’s essential!

Installing stage 2a (Civic to Commonwealth Park via City Hill), is crazy, primarily because it relies for extension south on using the critical Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and the southern section of that avenue – noting that the rearrangement of London Circuit at City Hill South has achieved its actual raison d’être – creating new development sites (on the footprints of former clover-leaf road elements).

However, under the reported current construction contract, the stage 2a section extending from the existing stage 1 terminus on Northbourne Avenue, around London Circuit as far as Edinburgh Avenue, could proceed.

Then, the tram should take the optimum route to Capital Hill, and stops, would include:

• Edinburgh Avenue’s northern-edge.

• The ANU, near the Shine Dome.

• The existing Liversidge Street land bridge over Parkes Way. 

• Along Lawson Crescent South near the the southern shoreline of Acton Peninsula,

Then over a form of Griffin’s missing curving central lake crossing, which, unlike inserting a new bridge in between the two carriageways of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, would be a straightforward undertaking with regard to the impact on traffic during construction, overall project construction time, cost, heritage references, and other factors; spanning the lake to:

• Lennox Gardens North.

• Flynn Drive. 

• Coronation Drive. 

• Across Commonwealth Avenue. 

• Across the National Triangle north.

• The Barton office and residential precinct.

• Parliament House south, and… 

• On to Woden.

With respect, given the locale, the Commonwealth should take responsibility for most of the cost of this section of light rail 2, and on say, to the western end of Adelaide Avenue, past The Lodge.

I urge you and your government to adopt the above revised tram route, and to give direction to the ACT government to follow suit.

 Jack Kershaw FRAIA RIBA (retired), former president, Canberra Community Action on Acton Inc, and independent political party The Residents Rally for Canberra Inc.