29 October 2015

Asbestos risk after Acton tunnel collapse

| Charlotte
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tunnel

A 1km exclusion zone has been established around Acton Tunnel on Parkes Way to manage asbestos risk after its collapse this morning. Emergency services are advising Canberrans to expect delays on our roads this afternoon (see below for details of redirections).
The tunnel collapsed after an excavator on the back of a loader ripped 60 metres from the tunnel roof.
The exclusion zone has been established downwind because there appears to be bonded asbestos in tiles at the site.
Engineers are on site assessing the structural integrity of the bridge.
No one has been injured but there are significant traffic delays as Parkes Way is closed in both directions till further notice.
ACT Fire & Rescue and ACT Policing attended the scene having received calls about the accident at 10.20am. Roads ACT is also providing assistance.
A forward command post has been established near Commonwealth Avenue.

There have been no evacuations and there are none anticipated at this stage.

Parkes Way between Clunies Ross Street and Edinburgh Avenue has been closed in both directions until further notice due to an earlier accident.
Road users are encouraged to take an alternative route and plan their journey home.

Westbound traffic leaving the city will be diverted right onto Coranderrk Street, left onto Cooyong Street, straight onto Barry Drive, left onto Clunies Ross Street, Lady Denman Drive and onto the Tuggeranong Parkway.

Traffic travelling westbound from Commonwealth Avenue, onto Parkes Way, will be directed straight through to London Circuit and Northbourne Avenue, left onto Barry Drive, left onto Clunies Ross Street, Lady Denman Drive and onto the Tuggeranong Parkway.

Eastbound traffic heading into the city will be diverted left onto Clunies Ross Street, right onto Barry Drive, straight onto Cooyong Street, right onto Coranderrk Street and back onto Parkes Way.

Electronic message signs will be erected to alert people to the diversions in place.

Call Access Canberra on 13 22 81 for up-to-date information on road closures.

Photo: 2CC via @twaitiblog

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JC said :

dungfungus said :

JC said :

c

dungfungus said :

Actually it highlights one of the problems large transporters will face trying to negotiate through the high voltage wire-scape that is about to be foisted on Canberra in the name of the almighty light rail.
Good thing they will be powering it with “renewable energy”.

Actually no it doesn’t. The standard height for light rail wires is 4.6m (measured in a sagged state). In our road networks anything, wires, bridges etc below this figure is considered to be low height, 4.6 and above is considered normal height.

When it comes to height of vehicles 4.3m is the max you are allowed to run without a permit and presumably with a permit things such as bridges, wires etc are all taken into account when planning the route you are going to take, and if your load is still too high and you cannot avoid wires then the operator can pay to have the owner prop them up, or temporarily remove them.

Also under Australian standards 750v is not high voltage. It is considered low voltage. High voltage kicks in at 1000v, and extra low voltage is below 60v.

All this information is academic if the operator isn’t aware of the hazards or he/she chooses to ignore the rules which was apparently the case with the Acton incident earlier this week.

Any licenced truk driver would know the law for heights, so comes down to not measuring properly or just being a fool.

But let me get this right, you are saying is because there are stupid people nothing should ever get built because there might be some risk? Using that argument the Acton tunnel should be pulled down at once and the height raised to something that you approve of.

Reality is there are minimum heights for things like wires, and those engineers that go to uni for years to work on this kind of thing build in safe guards to counter the fools. Take overhead wires, one of them comes down the power will be switched off in a flash. Engineering at work.

“Take overhead wires, one of them comes down the power will be switched off in a flash. Engineering at work.

Trams at a standstill, traffic in chaos.
All licensed truck drivers know the laws but some still get speeding fines and use illegal stimulants to meet deadlines.
That’s risk but the trucks keep rolling.
Engineers designed the Barton Highway flyover on the GDE and looked what happened to it.
That’s reality.

dungfungus said :

JC said :

c

dungfungus said :

Actually it highlights one of the problems large transporters will face trying to negotiate through the high voltage wire-scape that is about to be foisted on Canberra in the name of the almighty light rail.
Good thing they will be powering it with “renewable energy”.

Actually no it doesn’t. The standard height for light rail wires is 4.6m (measured in a sagged state). In our road networks anything, wires, bridges etc below this figure is considered to be low height, 4.6 and above is considered normal height.

When it comes to height of vehicles 4.3m is the max you are allowed to run without a permit and presumably with a permit things such as bridges, wires etc are all taken into account when planning the route you are going to take, and if your load is still too high and you cannot avoid wires then the operator can pay to have the owner prop them up, or temporarily remove them.

Also under Australian standards 750v is not high voltage. It is considered low voltage. High voltage kicks in at 1000v, and extra low voltage is below 60v.

All this information is academic if the operator isn’t aware of the hazards or he/she chooses to ignore the rules which was apparently the case with the Acton incident earlier this week.

Any licenced truk driver would know the law for heights, so comes down to not measuring properly or just being a fool.

But let me get this right, you are saying is because there are stupid people nothing should ever get built because there might be some risk? Using that argument the Acton tunnel should be pulled down at once and the height raised to something that you approve of.

Reality is there are minimum heights for things like wires, and those engineers that go to uni for years to work on this kind of thing build in safe guards to counter the fools. Take overhead wires, one of them comes down the power will be switched off in a flash. Engineering at work.

JC said :

c

dungfungus said :

Actually it highlights one of the problems large transporters will face trying to negotiate through the high voltage wire-scape that is about to be foisted on Canberra in the name of the almighty light rail.
Good thing they will be powering it with “renewable energy”.

Actually no it doesn’t. The standard height for light rail wires is 4.6m (measured in a sagged state). In our road networks anything, wires, bridges etc below this figure is considered to be low height, 4.6 and above is considered normal height.

When it comes to height of vehicles 4.3m is the max you are allowed to run without a permit and presumably with a permit things such as bridges, wires etc are all taken into account when planning the route you are going to take, and if your load is still too high and you cannot avoid wires then the operator can pay to have the owner prop them up, or temporarily remove them.

Also under Australian standards 750v is not high voltage. It is considered low voltage. High voltage kicks in at 1000v, and extra low voltage is below 60v.

All this information is academic if the operator isn’t aware of the hazards or he/she chooses to ignore the rules which was apparently the case with the Acton incident earlier this week.

ungruntled said :

If you think that little prang interferred with traffic flow, just think for a minute what will happen if they put the tram in all over Canberra.

To get it south side, it will have to cross the bridge.

At this point, the only way for the bridges to take the weight, will be to close one lane of vehicular traffic in each direction and change it to tram use.

Add to that, the fact that the trams cost more to run per passenger mile, than buses. Not only that, but the lates figures I have seen show that per passenger mile, cars are actually cheaper than buses too. (ref Bob Nairn’s paper – can’t give the details ‘cos I can’t remember, but hopefully someone else may be able to oblige).

An wait till the tram travellers are alighting in the middle of Northbourne & scrambling to get to either side of the road through 2 (or is it 3?) lanes af vehicular traffic. Between that & the cross roads, where everyone gives way to the trams.

Canberra, you ain seen nuffin’ yet when it comes to traffic congestion!

That’s what has happened everywhere else but those trams certainly look visionary and sexy so let’s give it a go anyhow.

If you think that little prang interferred with traffic flow, just think for a minute what will happen if they put the tram in all over Canberra.

To get it south side, it will have to cross the bridge.

At this point, the only way for the bridges to take the weight, will be to close one lane of vehicular traffic in each direction and change it to tram use.

Add to that, the fact that the trams cost more to run per passenger mile, than buses. Not only that, but the lates figures I have seen show that per passenger mile, cars are actually cheaper than buses too. (ref Bob Nairn’s paper – can’t give the details ‘cos I can’t remember, but hopefully someone else may be able to oblige).

An wait till the tram travellers are alighting in the middle of Northbourne & scrambling to get to either side of the road through 2 (or is it 3?) lanes af vehicular traffic. Between that & the cross roads, where everyone gives way to the trams.

Canberra, you ain seen nuffin’ yet when it comes to traffic congestion!

Damn that truck accident! Took me three extra minutes to get to work this morning from the inner north!

gooterz said :

rubaiyat said :

gooterz said :

This is the forward warning for light rail.

Hmmm bad driver doing something stupid, damaging major public property and bringing all the traffic to a standstill in a great traffic jam.

Excellent advertising for Light Rail!

it’ll take out your trolley and your pretty cables too.

Yeah drivers. No limit to what they do.

Gold Coast incident “She was charged with driving under the influence, unlicensed driving, drug and weapons possession and possession of drug utensils.”.

Obvious solution: More roads, more drivers.

c

dungfungus said :

Actually it highlights one of the problems large transporters will face trying to negotiate through the high voltage wire-scape that is about to be foisted on Canberra in the name of the almighty light rail.
Good thing they will be powering it with “renewable energy”.

Actually no it doesn’t. The standard height for light rail wires is 4.6m (measured in a sagged state). In our road networks anything, wires, bridges etc below this figure is considered to be low height, 4.6 and above is considered normal height.

When it comes to height of vehicles 4.3m is the max you are allowed to run without a permit and presumably with a permit things such as bridges, wires etc are all taken into account when planning the route you are going to take, and if your load is still too high and you cannot avoid wires then the operator can pay to have the owner prop them up, or temporarily remove them.

Also under Australian standards 750v is not high voltage. It is considered low voltage. High voltage kicks in at 1000v, and extra low voltage is below 60v.

Blen_Carmichael6:29 am 21 Oct 15

Heavs said :

Stinks of a back door City to the Lake ploy. “well, now the integrity of this tunnel is in question we’ll have to close Parkes Way for 12 months to fully investigate/rectify. And while we’re doing that why don’t we do this ‘burying of Parkes Way’ thing we have been floating out there for the past 24 months”

I knew it. Rattenbury.

wildturkeycanoe6:23 am 21 Oct 15

rubaiyat said :

gooterz said :

This is the forward warning for light rail.

Hmmm bad driver doing something stupid, damaging major public property and bringing all the traffic to a standstill in a great traffic jam.

Excellent advertising for Light Rail!

Pull your head in, how exactly do you move an excavator with light rail? How do you build the light rail network without excavators and semi trailers? How would you get your groceries or other products delivered via freight if there are no trucks on the roads to get the goods from the train tracks to the shopping centers?
As for the accident in question, meh, a few ceiling tiles and lights fell down. Big deal. I think there’d be more risk of exposure from a Mr. Fluffy house demolition than this overblown news piece.

creative_canberran said :

No, just hopeless reporting. Roof doesn’t seem to be damaged at all, only the false ceiling that conceals the fire sprinkler and electrical conduits.

If it were structural, the driver wouldn’t have been able to keep going. His vehicle would have jammed or been physically halted at the opening.

However, the damage has been done and apparently asbestos is involved. This could take some time now the asbestos button has been pressed. I understand that public opinion is heavily in support of using oxy torches to cut up and haul away the truck driver.

rubaiyat said :

gooterz said :

This is the forward warning for light rail.

Hmmm bad driver doing something stupid, damaging major public property and bringing all the traffic to a standstill in a great traffic jam.

Excellent advertising for Light Rail!

Funnily enough the Gold Coast light rail was also closed for a period yesterday when a car got stuck on the tracks.

Up The Duffy11:11 pm 20 Oct 15

I would like to hear the Mansplaining * by a man, why man, would drive a over height load into a tunnel?
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansplaining

rubaiyat said :

gooterz said :

This is the forward warning for light rail.

Hmmm bad driver doing something stupid, damaging major public property and bringing all the traffic to a standstill in a great traffic jam.

Excellent advertising for Light Rail!

it’ll take out your trolley and your pretty cables too.

rubaiyat said :

gooterz said :

This is the forward warning for light rail.

Hmmm bad driver doing something stupid, damaging major public property and bringing all the traffic to a standstill in a great traffic jam.

Excellent advertising for Light Rail!

Actually it highlights one of the problems large transporters will face trying to negotiate through the high voltage wire-scape that is about to be foisted on Canberra in the name of the almighty light rail.
Good thing they will be powering it with “renewable energy”.

rubaiyat said :

gooterz said :

This is the forward warning for light rail.

Hmmm bad driver doing something stupid, damaging major public property and bringing all the traffic to a standstill in a great traffic jam.

Excellent advertising for Light Rail!

Maybe. Or maybe someone will see the buses getting re-routed and will wonder how light rail can be re-routed around a blockage. There may be arguments for light rail, but I wouldn’t lead with this one.

gooterz said :

This is the forward warning for light rail.

Hmmm bad driver doing something stupid, damaging major public property and bringing all the traffic to a standstill in a great traffic jam.

Excellent advertising for Light Rail!

creative_canberran said :

No, just hopeless reporting. Roof doesn’t seem to be damaged at all, only the false ceiling that conceals the fire sprinkler and electrical conduits.

Yeah even the Canberracrimes is using the melodramtic and false collapse headline. Sure the tunnel is damaged and part of the false ceiling has been brought down, maybe with, maybe without structural damage. But clearly not a colapse.

creative_canberran7:41 pm 20 Oct 15

Heavs said :

Stinks of a back door City to the Lake ploy. “well, now the integrity of this tunnel is in question we’ll have to close Parkes Way for 12 months to fully investigate/rectify. And while we’re doing that why don’t we do this ‘burying of Parkes Way’ thing we have been floating out there for the past 24 months”

No, just hopeless reporting. Roof doesn’t seem to be damaged at all, only the false ceiling that conceals the fire sprinkler and electrical conduits.

This is the forward warning for light rail.

Surprised? No.

Oh look a tram!

QUICK get the children inside!!

Let the whinging begin!

Heavs said :

Stinks of a back door City to the Lake ploy. “well, now the integrity of this tunnel is in question we’ll have to close Parkes Way for 12 months to fully investigate/rectify. And while we’re doing that why don’t we do this ‘burying of Parkes Way’ thing we have been floating out there for the past 24 months”

Now, about that fake moon landing…

Is it actually a tunnel or an underpass?
I recall that it was perhaps a “cut and fill” job and it has a road leading in and out of the ANU across the top.
The article refers to “the structural integrity of the bridge”.

Heavs said :

Stinks of a back door City to the Lake ploy. “well, now the integrity of this tunnel is in question we’ll have to close Parkes Way for 12 months to fully investigate/rectify. And while we’re doing that why don’t we do this ‘burying of Parkes Way’ thing we have been floating out there for the past 24 months”

Geebers

Stinks of a back door City to the Lake ploy. “well, now the integrity of this tunnel is in question we’ll have to close Parkes Way for 12 months to fully investigate/rectify. And while we’re doing that why don’t we do this ‘burying of Parkes Way’ thing we have been floating out there for the past 24 months”

Well, I’m sitting less than 1km from the tunnel and haven’t heard anything about an exclusion zone.

Charlotte Harper1:54 pm 20 Oct 15

The exclusion site is downwind only. There have been no evacuations.

Holden Caulfield1:18 pm 20 Oct 15

Oops-a-daisy.

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