How to make room for a light rail through the city (2020)

Description

Before the actual track work started, the city had to be prepared for the light rail. When an eight-meter-wide track needs to connect with the rest of the town, it influences the design of roads, bike paths, and sidewalks, which must then be rebuilt. Construction began in August 2017 and is expected to finish by 2021, when the final asphalt layer is applied to the last roads and bike paths. Project manager Svend Sørensen has overseen this work. Here, he discusses the construction process and how it shifts from a broad, conceptual view to detailed, practical realities. For example, the location of a manhole cover can present different challenges in practice than on paper. The goal is to unify everything into a higher unity, making the city a pleasant place for everyone to live and get around.

My name is Svend Sørensen. I am the project manager for the construction work at Odense Light Rail. That is, the construction outside the actual light rail route. When I explain the construction work to people, I mean the work outside the light rail itself—it includes roads, sidewalks, and cycle paths. It also covers all the nearby roads and residential properties. For example, we have the Rosengårdcentret and IKEA. We have rebuilt the areas around them, and I have been responsible for that. In terms of construction, I was involved in the design phase. There, I served as a liaison between the theoretical plans and the various developers, including the mayor's administration, the municipal road authority, and other relevant parties. My role was to connect these plans to those who were actually carrying out the work. Turning a vision into a buildable project can be a complex process. For instance, if there are existing road wells in the area, they may need to be relocated a few meters, which can result in a 2-3 centimeter level difference, potentially causing puddles to form. It is essential to ensure these puddles are properly drained. From viewing the project from a helicopter to observing the detailed work on the ground, removing these puddles from the roads is an essential step.

Overall, life is exciting and challenging—lots of balls in the air! Odense has a motto that it should be a green city, and we are planting around 1,500 trees in connection with the light rail. Those that we don't have space for along the light rail will be planted elsewhere, such as here on Ørbækvej, as a supplement to the existing trees. Once I finish the actual construction work here, we will have created optimal conditions for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers in the city. For example, we've put a lot of thought into both pedestrians and cyclists. When we put them in their right element—our new sidewalks and bike paths—it will be truly outstanding to get around the city.

Stops

IKEA → Korsløkke → Tarup Center → Hjallese Station → Benedikts Plads → Vestre Stationsvej → Vesterbro → Parkering Odense Syd Park & Ride → Bolbro → Palnatokesvej → Banegården/Central Station → ODEON → Hestehaven → Rosengårdcentret → Idrætsparken, Stadium → Ejerslykke → SDU Syd/Hospital Nord → Albani Torv → Kongensgade → Hospital Syd → Højstrup → Campus → Contex Park → Østerbæksvej → Bilka → SDU/University.

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