HATAITAI TRAFFIC TUNNEL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1264, 20 October 1911, Page 4

HATAITAI TRAFFIC TUNNEL.

. « CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The city engineer's report regarding thfll proposed traffic tunnel at Hatailai, wn« read at tho fortnightly mooting of'tlia City Council last night. It wim ns'follows:—

"I havo boon asked for a report upen a traffic tunned to servo the lequirem.cails' of tbo Hataitai district, such tunnel* to 1» approached from about tho position ef llixon Grove. I liaro had a suction of\ the proposed route taken, and furnish i herewith u plan, showing tho proposed route, the swliou and gradients of tho tunnel and npproachios. 1 diwirc to point out that such tunnel, it constructed, might be sufficient for tho requirements cd" the ITa'laJtai district; that it would not be a satisfactory solution of tho traffic requirements of tho Kiibirnie district and the districts beyond, owinj to its location and the gradients of the approaches, the latter being in my opinion much too steep to permit of easy haulage. 1 havo the following objections to tho approaches :—Qu«>n Street is tco narrow to accommodate tho traffic, which will eventually roquiro to bo dealt with. Thi9 street would require to be widened. The properties abutting on Ri.von Grove would require to bo 'purchased ftt a heavy east, and n new road constructed. The estimated cost of this proposal, worked out on the Fame basis as tho previous proposal submitted by mo to tho council is X 55,000. It is also to lie romembered in connection with tho construction of tho tunnel in this position that practically the whole of tho mntorial from tho excavation would roquiro to bo carted from tho tunnel tn tho lmrbour reclamation works, there beins no land availnblo for tho disposal of tho spoil. ... In view of tho expons© and the inability of the work to satisfactorily deal with tho traffic of tho Kiibirnie and other districts, I cannot possibly recommend favourable consideration of this proposal. In addition to tho above amount tho cost of widening Queen Street would require to bo considered. I have not estimated the amount of money required for this part of the proposal. The city valuer wouia be more competent to give an opinion." The report was referred to tho Finance Committeo to report to tho next meeting.