TRAFFIC PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2679, 27 January 1916, Page 9

TRAFFIC PROBLEMS

WHAT THE COUNCIL IS DOING COURTENAY PLACE CONGESTION. Frequent complaints have been made concerning the congestion of traffic which ocoirs, aud especially at busy hours of tho day, at the Courtenay Place waiting sheds. Trams and their passengers practically occupy the whole of the roadway, and through the throng of people vehicles are driven to the discomfort and occasionally to the danger of tho embarking and disembarking passengers. The Mayor, Mr. J. P. Luke, stated' yesterday that the City Council was fully aware of the congested conditions whicli prevailed at the place referred to. It was a matter'of concern to them, and they had decided to remedy the state of things. Early last year plans were drawn which, provide for the removal of the waiting shed to the spaco between Kent and Cambridge Terraces, between the Queen Victoria Statue and Courtenay Place. ■ When these plans arc carried into effect the double track in ,Kent Terrace will bo diverted into tho garden enclosure, before turning into Courtenay Place, and on either side of the line waiting sheds will be built, capable of accommodating large numbers of passengers on b"Sth the up and do\\\ sides. The Mayor stated that the question of finance was one that had to be carefully considered, in view of the large expenditure which had been authorised for City works at the beginning, of the council's present financial year. The principal of these works was the Constable Street duplication and the construction of a double line of tramway ,to link up with the Kilbirnio line. Other large items included in the £69,308 authorised to /be expended were as follows: —Altering and duplicating Brooklyn line, £2290; completing cars Nos. 103 to 112 and building cars Nos. 113 to 115, £11,400; water-tube boiler, "£4400; feeders for Brooklyn arid Willis Street, £3460; overhauling feeders, power house to Lamhton Station, £1250. The duplicating of many established sections of single track was regarded by the council as an important work. It was recognised that tho single tracks to the growing suburbs had outlived their usefulness, but it would not be possible to do much duplication work this year. A work which was employing large gangs of men was the asphalting and macadamising of Upper Willis Street. From the Albert Hotel to Aro Street a concrete foundation for asphalt was being laid on one side of the roadway, while on the other side, which had a steeper fall, macadam was being laid. The widening and improving of Sutherland Road at Newtown Park was another work in hand. Regarding the sea wall and esplanade at Oriental Bay, the Mayor said that it had to be loft over at the beginning of the year owing to tho scarcity of cement. The Government required large quantities for the' camps at Trentham mid Tauherenikau, while the requirements of private firms in the City took the balance available. .The council did not wish to disturb the building programmes of private builders, so the Oriental. Bay sea wall was allowed to stand over. The City Engineer was desirous of starting the work at the earliest opportunity. _ Tho Mayor indicated that as soon as the werks"in hand,were completed and largo gangs of men were available, the congestion at Courtenay Place would 'have the council's attention.