Green Tracking of Light Rail: Creating Future-Focused Biophilic Transport Infrastructure - Biophilic Cities
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BIOPHILIC CITIES JOURNAL / PROJECT PROFILE
for Aotearoa New Zealand well-being of water; 2) the runoff, leading to streams that
are the Essential Freshwater health needs of people; and have higher flood peaks and
reforms. They demand immediate 3) the social, economic and more erosive power, transport
improvement to our freshwater cultural well-being of people more pollutants and sediment,
systems and the need to bring and communities. Following such and have fewer species and
waterways to a healthy state directions, it can be reasonably less complex ecosystems.
within a generation. Te Mana o interpreted that councils should Compounding this is the
te Wai (roughly translated: the take steps to ensure that fact that the more we drive,
power/authority of the water) infrastructure supports Te Mana o not only do we require more
is the central concept and sets te Wai. For transport, this means impervious surfaces to drive on,
out the directions local body building infrastructure that firstly we also increase the number
authorities (city, district and has low pollutant generation of tyres, which are major
regional councils in Aotearoa and secondly can actively treat sources of heavy metals and
New Zealand) need to take to pollutant loads by sequestering microplastics, released to the
improve waterways. Key to this contaminants within its structure, environment as they wear. Tyres
are the principles of governance ensuring any discharged are 1-2% zinc oxide by weight,
and stewardship, where those water is filtered and cleaned added during vulcanization
with authority must prioritize before entering the receiving to make tyres harder wearing
(improving and enhancing environment. and longer lasting. In Tāmaki
where required) the health of Makaurau Auckland, zinc is
waterways now and into the But, our current transport a major contaminant in our
future to ensure the needs of paradigm remains inherently marine receiving environments,
future generations are sustained. polluting. Centering cars and where too much zinc
Figure 1: Vitoria-Gasteiz Tramway
Image Credit: wikimedia/Basotxerri (CC BY-SA 4.0)
private vehicles in our urban creates toxic conditions for
To give effect to Te Mana o spaces creates swathes of macroinvertebrates and small
te Wai, councils must apply impervious surfaces. This results benthic organisms that are
Green Tracking of Light Rail: Creating Future- the following hierarchies of
obligation: 1) the health and
in “Urban Stream Syndrome”,
where paved areas create faster
integral parts of the food web.
Wear and tear on road surfaces
Focused Biophilic Transport Infrastructure from tyres is estimated to
directly contribute 10% of all
By Ed Clayton microplastics in the world’s
oceans.
Background Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s airport, an approximately 20km
once extensive tramways were line that will access areas None of the above is new.
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland removed and replaced with expected to host around 17% of Auckland Council recognizes
is the largest city in Aotearoa trolley buses. At the same time, the population growth and 33% that roads carrying more than
New Zealand. Home to around a decision was made to focus on of the job growth occurring in 10,000 vehicles per day are
1.5 million people, it has been building a motorway network at the next 30 years2 (Figure 2). high contaminant generating
experiencing rapid growth and the expense of extending the activities. To mitigate this, such
now houses around 30% of the commuter rail system. Essential Freshwater Reforms roads should have treatment
national population. Congestion Now, a light rail network has devices within the corridor
is a hot topic in the media been proposed to alleviate Recently, new national water that can do a mix of reducing
with estimates that it costs the congestion and help enhance management legislation has pollution and runoff. Yet
city up to $1.3 billion (NZD) community connection for provided a driver to turn this retrofitting existing roads is
annually, or around 1.4% of the several different routes light rail route into a biophilic challenging because these
GDP. While undoubtedly this (ironically, down some of the transport asset that can provide treatment devices generally take
congestion is due to growth, very same tram routes removed not just improved access, but Figure 2: Potential Auckland Light Rail route showing two different central up more room than is available
it has roots in several historic 70 years ago). The first of these a myriad of other benefits as alignments, to be decided. City centre is at the north end of the route, without a drastic reshaping
decisions made in the 20th is the connection between the well. The new national direction airport is at the south end. Contains data sourced from the LINZ Data of the corridor. Changing our
century. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, city center and the international governing water management Service licensed for reuse under CC BY 4.0 vehicle powertrains from
40
BIOPHILIC CITIES JOURNAL VOL. 4 NO. 2 | MAY 2022 | 41
internal combustion to electric increased visual green space. of vegetated swales for pre-
or hydrogen will not address They reduce the noise associated treatment before discharge to
tyre wear, or reduce impervious with light rail vehicle movement, raingardens, removing sediment
surfaces either. lower urban heat island effects, in swales and ensuring efficient
and have lower embedded infiltration in the raingardens.
Knowing that we need to emissions as there is less Native groundcover plants could
improve our waterways but concrete used in construction. be used to provide a rough
continuing to design systems The Parramatta Light Rail line, surface texture that slows water
for cars that create toxic currently under construction movement, keeping water visible
freshwater environments leads in Western Sydney, Australia, at the surface when it rains
to incompatible outcomes. has 10% of its length as grass and providing food for bees
The requirements of Te Mana track. Where used, this has and pollinators when dry. In
o te Wai legislation will place reduced the required concrete areas where road stormwater
responsibilities on local by 81% compared to standard discharges to streams and
government that creates conflict construction and overall the marine areas, we could remove
with building roads as normal. project reduced carbon emissions contaminants generated from
Application of biodiversity net- by 36% due to material reuse and tyres. Where possible, clean
gain concepts can help explore recycling. water would soak to the aquifers
the choices we face (Knight- below in much the same way
Lenihan 2019). We need to Most importantly for this as it does now, but at slower
ask the question “What would discussion, grass tracks allow and more manageable rates. In
urban transport look like if the surface water to soak in, thereby places where the corridor has
fundamental requirement was a removing contaminants and a wide margin, trees could be
net-gain in water quality?” slowing stormwater runoff with planted to create a linear forest
studies showing up to 90% (Figure 3). We know that climate
Green Light Rail of rain falling within the rail change is likely to deliver more
corridor soaking in and being extreme heat events that impact
We may have an answer if we used by the plants. Yet, these on rail systems, trees can create
can build a light rail network that tracks are not designed with a more consistent microclimate
is integrated with engineered water quality outcomes as a that shade and protect the
swales and biofiltration devices. priority. Usually, these tracks are infrastructure.
The use of “lawn” or “grass” built to delineate the light rail
tracking in light rails is extensive lines, stop cars from using them, While the final alignment of
in Europe and implemented and provide aesthetic quality to Auckland light rail is yet to be
in a range of other countries local areas. decided, the alignment will likely
including China, the U.S., be adjacent to roads carrying
Australia and Spain (Figures 1 The proposed idea of “green” between 15,000 and 25,000 vpd,
and 3). These tracks incorporate tracking takes these ideas one all classified as high contaminant
grasses and groundcover plants step further and prioritises the generating activities. Some of
over infilled soil. Often, the water quality outcomes as a this overlies fractured basalt
only visible parts of the light fundamental design requirement. zones where stormwater is
rail network will be the rails How this might look is similar to directed to soakage (and
themselves and the overhead the photos of European examples then to aquifers) or combined
wires. Such designs have but with specific engineered soils stormwater/sewer networks. The
important benefits. Compared designed to infiltrate and treat aquifers feed urban catchments
to a standard concrete light contaminants. Cross sections that in turn discharge to
rail surface, they improve air would be altered to drain water coastal areas under permanent
quality by helping filter airborne from road surfaces to a center swimming bans. Other areas
contaminants and improve running light rail line. Effective have more standard stormwater
community wellbeing through treatment trains would consist systems that discharge directly Figure 3: Grass tracks, Barcelona
Image Credit: wikimedia/addshore (CC BY-SA 3.0)
42
to urban streams. Treatment for enough hard space in between Auckland Light Rail team with
these roads is sporadic at best for stations, vehicle crossings and considering environmental and Resources:
with gross pollutant traps only intersections. climate outcomes while making
at a select few locations (usually these decisions. This could be Auckland Council. 2013. “Auckland 968. Available at https://environment. Walsh, C.J., Roy, A.H., Feminella, J.W.,
Unitary Plan stormwater management govt.nz/publications/essential- Cottingham, P.D., Groffman, P.M. &
not good enough to filter out Continuing this design along the example we need to take a provisions: Technical basis of freshwater-te-mana-o-te-wai-factsheet. Morgan, R.P. 2005. “The urban stream
microplastics and particulate the proposed light rail line, we systems approach to transport contaminant and volume management syndrome: current knowledge and
bound contaminants such could build such a system to tie infrastructure and put our requirements.” Auckland Council New Zealand Institute of Economic the search for a cure.” Journal of
as zinc). Making a conscious into the central city where plans freshwater systems first when we Technical Report TR2013/035. Available Research. 2017. “Benefits from the North American Benthological
decision to put water quality are afoot for a revitalized Queen plan infrastructure, together with at https://knowledgeauckland.org.nz/ Auckland road decongestion.” Report Society. 24(3):706-723. https://doi.
media/1651/tr2013-035-auckland- to the Employers and Manufacturers
outcomes first means that we Street in the central city. Much an urban design process that org/10.1899/04-028.1.
unitary-plan-stormwater-management- Association, Infrastructure New Zealand,
could build light rail with swales discussion has been had around addresses not just the light rail provisions-no-appendices.pdf. Auckland International Airport Ltd,
and raingardens that can treat all daylighting the stream buried line but the adjacent land use Ports of Auckland Ltd, National Road
of the runoff from adjacent road during the colonial settlement too. Auckland Light Rail. https://www. Carriers Association. Available at https://
surfaces (see Figures 4 and 5 for (Waihorotiu). Together with the lightrail.co.nz. infrastructure.org.nz/wp-content/
example designs). green light rail it would make a uploads/2021/08/Benefits-Auckland-
Cheng, Hefa, and Martin Reinhard. Roads-Decongestion-Report.pdf.
green and blue space that could 2010. “Field, Pilot, and Laboratory
As an example, to treat the 4.9 create a stunning biophilic linear Ed Clayton is a freshwater Studies for the Assessment of Water Novales, Margarita, and Emilio
km stretch of Dominion Road transport network from the city scientist and a committee Quality Impacts of Artificial Turf.” Conles. 2012. “Turf track for light rail
between the two proposed center to Māngere (Figure 7). member of the non-profit Prepared by the Department of Civil and systems.” Transportation Research
Environmental Engineering, Stanford Record. 2275(1):1-11. https://doi.
stations at Mt. Roskill Junction Sustainability Society, a technical
University for the Santa Clara Valley org/10.3141/2275-01.
and Dominion Road Junction (see Next Steps interest group of Engineering Water District. Available at https://www.
the proposed 2016 Dominion New Zealand. He lives in Tāmaki valleywater.org/sites/default/files/ Parramatta Light Rail. 2021. “Parramatta
Road route map, Figure 6), only As this article is written, it Makaurau (Auckland). Water%20Use%20Impacts%20of%20 Light Rail achieves ‘leading’ ISCA Design
1500 m of swales and 150 m of is unknown if the planned Artificial%20Turf.pdf. rating.” https://www.parramattalightrail.
raingardens would be needed light rail for Tāmaki Makaurau nsw.gov.au/isca-design-rating.
Kelly, S. 2010. “Effects of stormwater on Figure 6:
(assuming treatment efficiencies Auckland will have green tracks. aquatic ecology in the Auckland region.” Proposed Dominion
Pfautsch, Sebastian, and Vanessa
as described in Auckland Likely a detailed design with Prepared by Coast and Catchment Howe. 2018. “Green Track for Road route map
Council’s GD01 document). route selection and station for Auckland Regional Council. Parramatta Light Rail: A Review.”
These would not be needed in a location will be released soon. Auckland Regional Council Document Western Sydney University. https://doi.
Type 2010/021. Available at https:// org/10.26183/5c05fc021efb3.
continuous stretch, rather short From consultation documents
knowledgeauckland.org.nz/media/1769/
sections of treatment could be it is clear that the central tr2010-021-ecological-impacts-from-
targeted at suitable areas with government has charged the stormwater-in-the-auckland-region-a-
literature-review.pdf.
Knight-Lenihan, Stephen. 2019.
“Biodiversity net-gain in New Zealand:
Adding biodiversity values.” New
Zealand Planning Institute Planning
Quarterly 214:13-17.
Kole, Pieter Jan, Ansje Löhr, Frank
Van Belleghem, and Ad M.J. Ragas.
2017. “Wear and Tear of Tyres: A
Stealthy Source of Microplastics in the
Environment.” International journal
of environmental research and public
health. 14(10):1265. https://doi.
org/10.3390/ijerph14101265.
Ministry for the Environment and
Figure 7
Ministry for Primary Industries. 2020.
“Essential Freshwater: Te Mana o te Wai
factsheet.” Publication number: INFO
Figure 4: Raingarden design, Jellicoe St. Auckland Figure 5: Vegetated swale, Seattle BIOPHILIC CITIES JOURNAL VOL. 4 NO. 2 | MAY 2022 | 45
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