SUPER-ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4370, 25 January 1922, Page 2

SUPER-ROADS.

town-planning and traffic.

Speaking at the annual, meeting, of the Institute of Transport (London), Sir Henry P. Maybury,' the eminent road authority, emphasised the point that the most vital aspect of town-, planning was that concerned with traffic regulation. He stated that, nearly half‘of the total population of Great Britain had ■ gravitated into large and relatively dense aggregations —precisely those areas in Effect where-traffic problems already presented the most acute difficulty. It was gratifying to observe that joint town-planning committees had been already set up in such regions as Doncaster, the Deeside, Manchester, and Teeside. It was to be hoped that before long this list would be greatly extended, and that members /of th© Transport Institute would assist these committees with expert advice upon one of the most vital aspects of town-planning, namely, future traffic development* not fori getting the need for parking-places for motors in modern towns and aerodromes on their, outskirts.

Tn many of the recent road schemes, he said, the width between fences measured 100 ft, and in some cases 120 ft. It was, to be hoped th© local authorities’ concerned would take early measures! to prescribe such building lines as would create a dignified and roomy setting for these new roads, The essential point today was to secure the width, leaving for future determination the exact apportionment of that width between carriageways, footways, verges, and tracks. reserved for special forms of traffic. In laying out new trunk roads the fortuitous undulations of the ground and the jagged boundaries of property and parish' c'duld no longer be slavishly followed.. Directness of line, smoothness of gradient, and uniformity of construction were prime considerations ; the easiest curve anti amplest sightiline' must be zstudiously sought. Future disturbance of carriageways could be minimised by excluding sewers and other underground services' fj’oml tlhiat part of the road.