environmental impact assessment for the proposed gautrain rapid ...

Environmental Impact Assessment: Proposed Gautrain Rapid Rail Link
effectiveness criteria when viewed as a whole.
The professionalism exhibited in project preparation to date gives no cause for concern in this
regard. However, it will be important to ensure that key performance indicators are established and
monitored regularly by the provincial authorities, in consultation with appropriate stakeholders (eg.
through third party agreements with local authorities). A further mitigation measure suggested is to
develop a transport strategy linking travel demand management of the road system, the efficiency of
the Gautrain feeder/distribution system and the level of ridership on the Gautrain itself (as required
by the National Land Transport Transition Act, No. 22 of 2000 (NLTTA)).
It is therefore recommended that the project proceed, subject to the required financial approvals.
Route Alternatives (See Figur A1 at the end of the Executive Summary)
Johannesburg Park Station to Sandton Station (length 11 km)
The reference route alignment is proposed to commence in tunnel at the existing Johannesburg
Park Station in the Johannesburg CBD, pass deep beneath the eastern side of the hill on which
stands the Johannesburg Hospital, and then proceed in a northerly direction. The alignment is
planned to remain in an underground tunnel for the entire length up to Sandton, passing
Killarney and continuing beneath Oxford Road to Rosebank. North of Rosebank, the route is
proposed to continue beneath Dunkeld, under Melville Road to Rivonia Road. It then proceeds
beneath Rivonia Road to the proposed new Sandton Station located underneath Rivonia Road
between Fifth Street and West Street, adjacent to the Sandton Library site.
Alternative routes along this section of the line, which emerged during the public participation
process and which were included in the EIA, were:
an alternative route under Fricker Road between Rosebank and Sandton; and
an alternative route under Oxford Road between Rosebank and Sandton.
The EIA recommendation:
Studies undertaken as part of the EIA revealed no significant differences in the environmental
impacts of the proposed alignments in the Rosebank to Sandton area and therefore no preferred
alignment is recommended from an EIA perspective.
The noise and vibration specialist studies revealed no difference in impact among the three
routes that were investigated, since the tunnel will be deep below ground along most of its
length in this area and no noise or vibration will be heard or felt at the surface. The noise and
vibration limits set for the Gautrain will not be exceeded. The reference route is the preferred
Executive Summary 18 21/10/02