For Traffic Relief

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 839, 6 December 1929, Page 8

For Traffic Relief

PROJECTS FOR CITY STREETS

TWO schemes for the relief of traffic congestion m the business area of the City have been advanced for the consideration of the Auckland City Council. , One project provides a road running from Short land Street parallel with Anzac Avenue, and the other proposes a tunnel under Parnell to assist in the passage of traffic through the Newmarket bottle-neck.

Primarily in response to the council’s call to its staff for suggestions for improvement, the City Building Inspector, Mr. J. H. Maxwell, revived a project which he had evolved 14 years ago when he planned the Anzac Avenue outlet. At that time, as he pointed out to the council last evening, he had mapped as a natural corollarv to it, a road running parallel with Anzac Avenue and giving necessary relief from a traffic increase which, even at that time, had shown signs of materialisation.

“This scheme begins opposite the premises of Bycroft’s, Ltd., in Shortland Street,” Mr. Maxwell said, in outlining his proposals. “It then runs in a north-easterly direction, passing close alongside the Northern Roller Mills chimney stack in Emily Place at the back of the National Trading Company’s premises, then crosses over to the north, cutting away the angular buildings owned by the council at the junction of Beach Road, then runs in a south-easterly direction to Eden Crescent, skirting the reserve, and then continues up Eden Crescent to the junction of Symonds Street. “This would provide another street running parallel with Anzac Avenue, and the bottom end would open out into Beach Road, where the proposed railway goods sheds are to be built, and near the two new goods sheds which were recently opened.” NEED FOR REPLANNING

In justification of his proposal, Mr. Maxwell added that most of the land and properties through which the outlet would pass constitute what might be termed a dead area, badly in need of replanning. Under existing conditions this area would always remain a backward part of the city. Under the proposed new conditions all the surrounding land would at least double in value and be of interest to the owners, the city generally, and the council from a revenue point of view. It would also at the same time provide a traffic outlet and a much better business area. If due consideration were given to the position of the new railway

station, it must be apparent that a large volume of vehicular and pedestrian traffic would be diverted that way, and it was a question whether sufficient provision had been allowed to meet the requirements. The scheme would give a direct lead to the new station from the busiest part of Queen Street. “I claim that my scheme will deal with the whole of the eastern side of Queen Street from Rutland Street to Customs Street East,” Mr. Maxwell went on, "and will also allow for picking up all goods traffic from the central wharves and also all goods traffic to and from the railway goods sheds. It will also greatly relieve the traffic of Queen and Fort Streets during the business hours.” The Town-Planning Committee will consider the scheme. TUNNEL THROUGH PARNELL The second traffic outlet proposal was propounded by Cr. G. Brownlee, who, at the council last evening moved:— “That consideration be given to a proposed road outlet for traffic to Remuera, Tamaki, Howick, Great South Road, Manukau Road, and Onehunga, from Gittos Street, just beyond Parnell railway bridge, following the eastern side of the railway line to a pcint beyond the northern entrance of the railway tunnel. It would then go by a tunnel, or a cutting, across Parnell Road to a point near the southern entrance to the Parnell tunnel, thence by a line in an approximate southerly direction to Remuera Road, across Remuera Road, part of the Dilworth Estate, and railway to Great South Road.” Amplifying his scheme, Cr. Brownlee said that the proposed road need not exceed a grade of one in 40. The distance to Remuera, Great South Road, and elsewhere would be shortened by a quarter of a mile. He had brought the plan forward in order that the city engineer might at least report upon it. Cr. A. J. Entrican seconded, and the scheme was referred to the engineer.