UNDER KARANGAHAPE ROAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 589, 15 February 1929, Page 10

UNDER KARANGAHAPE ROAD

Outlet for Queen St, Traffic TRANSPORT BOARD’S CO-OPERATION SOUGHT

AFT Ell spending four years in considering city traffic outlets the City Council last evening was recommended to approach the ratepayers for authority to borrow 5C300,000 to enable the Belgium Street, Day Street and Arclihill Gully schemes to be carried out. The Mayor*, Mr. G. Baildon, however, asked the council to wait until it had discussed the position with the Transport Board, and this was agreed to.

I BELGIUM STREET, by far the most > important, is a continuation of Queen Street. To cross Karungahape Road it is now proposed definitely that the heavy grades in Queen and Belgium Streets should be avoided by putting a cut under Karungahape Road, and carrying all Karangahape Road traffic on a bridge over the, cut. The cut proposed would carry double tram lines, and give ten feet of space on cither side for ordinary vehicular traffic, leaving the remainder of the road for traffic desiring to proceed via Karangahape Road on the present routes. The tramway undertaking would benefit to such an extent by the fact of Dominion Road, Edendale and Mt. Albert traffic not having to take the heavy grades and devious route via Symonds Street. The city engineer estimates the Transport Board should find a third of the cost of the alterations. ADVANTAGES SUMMARISED “The advantages of the scheme are obvious,” reported the city engineer, Mr. W. E. Bush, “and may be summed up briefly; “The direct routing- of all tramway traffic for Dominion Road, Edendale and Mount Albert along the new roadway, thus avoiding tram congestion at Grafton Bridge intersection and Symonds Street and Khyber Pass, and enabling an equalisation of routing to the suburbs on all the city lines; the diversion of other vehicular traffic going to Dominion Road, Edendale and Mount Albert along the new roadway, thus again relieving congestion at the points mentioned and enabling Symonds Street to deal more adequately with Grafton Bridge, Ivliyber Pass and Mount Eden traffic.” The figures in connection with the proposal show that 12 feet 3 inches would be left on either side of the cut for vehicles continuing up Queen Street to Karangahape Road, or down from it. The cut would be about 750 feet long. There would be stairways by which pedestrians would reach the tramcars in the cut. Properties would cost £175,000. and construction work £115,000, a total of £290,000. Realisation by re-sale and betterments are estimated at £125,000, leaving £165,000 for the cost of the work. The Transport Board’s share of this was set down at £55,000. Apart from the cut, the works include widening Belgium Street, continuation of Belgium Street to Newton Road, then to connect with Exmouth Street, to join with New North Road. DAY STREET SCHEME The suggested new thoroughfare known as the Day Street extension is as follows: From the intersection of Hobson. Wellington and Pitt Streets to St. James Street, Beresford Street, Day Street and across Howe Street to Hope town Street and Ponsonby Road. The costs estimated are: Property, £21.000: construction, £15,000; concreting Hopetoun Street, £6,600; total, £42,600: re-sales, £9,000.

Though the net amount required to carry out these works does not reach £ 300,000. the Finance and Works Committee recommended “that

the council take the necessary stops to obtain authority Lo raise a loan of £300,000 its financial provision for carrying out these works, including the acquisition of property, the intention being that from betterment contributions and the realisation from sales of surplus land in connection with these undertakings there would be provided funds for such other street widening or traffic outlet schemes as the council may from time to time determine.” The reports before the council on the proposals totalled 22 pages of closely typed foolscap, and referred back to 1925. The Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, moved that the whole question be referred to the Transport Board for an expression of opinion. “UNNECESSARY DELAY” Mr. T. Blood worth said a conference with the board was merely delaying the thing unnecessarily. The board had a majority of its members in the council chamber. Apart from anything the board had to say, the alterations were urgently wanted for roading. Many people desiring to build in the area had been held up for years. The whole thing had contributed to the depression that had overshadowed the city for years. The recommendation was little advanced on the position of six years ago. He could see no reason for delaying it further. “Do you suggest that we should go on and send a bill to the Transport Board afterward?” asked the Mayor. INCREASE IN RATES Mr. J. A. C. Allum said there had been no delay, except that proper consideration might be called delay. There had been many meetings and many schemes had been considered. The scheme, five years ago, would have cost a great deal more. These schemes had to be paid for, and if the scheme went on it was going to cost an increase in the rates, and they might as well say that frankly. During the past two years any scheme involving an increase in rates would have got nowhere. “The public will look upon our handing the idea over to the board as merely getting out of our responsibility and leaving it to a new ing the issue as we have done fill our term,” remarked Mr. E. J. Phelan.

“Let us approve the scheme and then send it to the board if necessary —but let us do something.” Several members considered that the question was so much one for the Transport Board and the cost of running trams that it should go to it for suggestions before final adoption. OUTSIDE WISDOM

Mr. W. H. Murray considered that the wisdom of the four outside members on the Transport Board might add sufficiently valuable ideas to those of the 26 members of the council to justify any delay caused in getting the opinions. Mr. S. I. Crookes suggested that the council approve the Belgium and Day Street schemes, details to be arranged with the Transport Board —the arrangement to* be specially directed to the financial aspect. “I say with all due respect that the Day Street extension will not be wanted for the next 20 years,” remarked Mr. J. Bennett. “The western half of Karangahape Road is absolutely dead —it has no traffic and no people.” Mr. Crookes’s suggestion was taken as an amendment to the Mayor’s motion and was seconded by Mr. Bloodworth. “I am nearly certain that the Transport Board will fall over itself to get this scheme carried.” remarked Mr. Bloodworth. “Before we send this on we should know our own mind about it. then we can get the opinion of the four on the board. If we send it on now the board may send it back to know what we think about it.” OVER-CAUTIOUS “No body could be accused of hurrying a business after spending five years considering it,” concluded Mr. Bloodworth. “Two years ago the scheme was recommended to the new council for consideration. What has happened? Two meetings and here we are passing much the same resolution. We are over-cautious.” Mr. Allum again defended the council, and said there had been many committee meetings, and a few weeks would not make much difference. Crs. G. Davis and G. Ashley both considered that the scheme was not sufficiently known to councillors outside the committees concerned, and advocated a special meeting to consider the proposals. “I can’t see how my motion is delaying matters,” remarked the Mayor. “We can’t get authority for a loan until the scheme is finalised, and we can’t finalise the scheme until we know the attitude of the Transport Board, which the new outlet could save hundreds and hundreds of tram miles.” The question was deferred pending a conference with the Transport Board.