COURTENAY PLACE TRAM JUNCTION

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 44, 15 November 1940, Page 5

COURTENAY PLACE TRAM JUNCTION

Improvement Plan

GARDEN PLOTS BETWEEN TRAFFIC STREAMS

The plan of improving the wide stretch of roadway at the eastern end of Courtenay Place approved by the Wellington City Council at Wednesday’s meeting, shows the space occupied in geometrical design witlt grass plots and tlowej; beds. The idea was born of an accident. A motor-vehicle) cut the corner in travelling from Courtenay Place to Kent 'Terrace and crashed into the automatic signal control box, which was then standing in the centre of the area, and this accident, not the first of its kind, suggested that it was high time to remove the control box to a safer position. The removal of the structure exposed fully to view the big amount of roadway snace that was practically going to waste. On goittg into Ihe mailer, tin* city engineer found that an improvement could be made ami the crossings foi. pedestrians made safer if the whole of the roadway space were re-plotted. That has been done, and the council has approved the plan, though probably only pari of lhe work will be done this financial year.

The pl.-in provides for an extension northward of the Kent Terrace reserve, tin extension which will be t-.ikeu Io within a few feet of the curved tram tracks. There will be a triangular 'pace of lawn between the Iwo double sets of curved tracks —lite one Io Kent Terrace and th<* other toward Oriental Bay. and still another between that and Alajoribanks Street. Further north still ii is iirojmsed to form another plol as ait extension southward of the site of the rest rooms. This will still leave a carriageway 44 feet in width for Iralliv. between the eastern end of Courtenav Place and Marjoribanks Street. The pedestrian crossings will be preserved practically as they are now, but the plan provides for more safety zones than at present exist. Another improvement affects the tramway wailing-shed precincts. The south-eastern end of the reserve on which I he waiting-shed stands lias been re-designed. Provision is imide for an island lawn on the corner, and ;t pathway leading direct from the wailingshed to the pedestrian crossing. Further. its this is the most important junction in the city, it has been decided that loading might be made easier for lite public and quicker for dispatch by raising the level of the roadway alongside the tracks ton the northern side only). As no other wheeled traffic is permitted to use this part, of the southern half of Courtenay Place, this offers no difficulty The level of the roadway will be raised some six inches with concrete or bitumen for the length of the waiting-shed. It is understood that the elevating of this strip of roadway may be done forthwith, but the rest of the work may have to wait till next year.