How you had your say:

In May and June 2017 we asked the community for initial feedback to help choose the route for City to Woden. The community and stakeholders shared their views and ideas by:

  • Dropping a pin on a digital map to identify stop locations, places of importance
  • Making formal written submissions
  • Engaging face to face through community council meetings, information sessions, market stalls or at drop ins along the potential routes
  • Commenting on social media or through formal government channels

More than 40,000 people were reached and 4,772 provided direct feedback, with 2990 businesses along the proposed routes engaged directly.

What we looked at:

The consultation process told us where you want Stage 2 to go and where you would like to get on and off. Specifically, we asked the community for feedback on:

  • options for the route
  • alignment of the tracks
  • potential stop locations
  • areas of particular community, cultural or environmental importance.

In addition to the key themes, people were also encouraged to share their vision for the City to Woden corridor and opinions about broader urban renewal issues.

What we heard:

On the route options

  • There is strong support for Light Rail Stage 2 to travel via City West and through Barton to capitalise on education and employment hubs and proximity to cultural institutions.
  • Support also exists for light rail to continue to the Canberra Hospital although uncertainties were raised about how convenient it would be to the hospital entrance and the implications for the future southern extensions of the network.
  • A range of additional alternate routes were suggested including traveling along Melbourne Avenue or King Edward Terrace; through Deakin, and; extending to Mawson.

On alignment of the line

  • Safety was a primary consideration for alignment selection and should be informed by the location of the stop, route and likely access for pedestrians.
  • Additional pedestrian infrastructure in the event of median alignment along high traffic roads like Adelaide Avenue was also identified as important.

On stop locations

  • There was support for additional stops in the Barton precinct to service employment hubs as well as providing better access to Manuka Oval and shopping precincts.
  • Appropriate services at stop locations that support active travel such as parking, shelter and bike storage is an important design consideration.

On items of community interest

  • Access to cultural institutions, education and employment hubs, and lakeside events were considered positive outcomes of the route through City West and Barton.
  • Visual amenity and heritage is valued and consideration should be given to how it will be managed along the proposed route.

On broader urban renewal and transport issues

Commuters want to know how light rail will integrate with other transport modes. Canberrans are interested to discover how the light rail project will contribute to other key urban renewal projects and desire further consultation on these issues.

What's happening now?

Feedback received from conversation #1 will be included as a critical input to the business case to be considered by the ACT Government at the end of 2017 or early 2018. The business case will consider the precise route, the procurement approach, detailed costs estimates, benefits, economic analysis and other matters.