CITY OUTLETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 39, 15 February 1929, Page 11

CITY OUTLETS.

FUTURE TRAFFIC NEEDS.

BELGIUM AND DAY STREETS. IMPORTANT SCHEMES SUBMITTED. CONTU.ENTE WITH TRANSPORT BOARD. BRIDGING KAKAXGAHAPE ROAD. Comprehensive scheme? for the derelopiDOiit of new city outlets by wav of Belgium Street to the New North Roafl. a.nd l.y Day Street to the Great North Road, wore before the Auckland City Council ]a=t evening. A recommendation to adopt the .schemes was made by the combined Works and Finanetf Committees, and the estimate of cohl was £300.000, including the acquisition of property. After a debate of naorp than an hour the council decided to hold a, conference with the newlvformed Transport Board, which is concerned in the proposed alterations to the I ram routes involved in the Belgium Street scheme. The Belgium Street scheme, described in a report by tlio city engineer, included the widening of Belgium Street from 60ft to H4ft by th<> acquisition of « strip 24ft wide on the western side and the regrading of the street so a> to proride that in no place in its length .afioukl the grade be steeper than approximately one in lfi. It would also be continued to Newton Road, involving the acquisition of property, erection of retaining walls and formation and construction of the new street and connection with Exmouth Street by a curved hue through private properly, and the widening of Exmouth Street'from 50ft to H4ft to its jtmction with the New Korth Road. Cat Through Karangahape Road. Jecees to Belgium Street will be gained by rutting through Karangahape Road and regrading the central 42ft of Upper Queen Street and of Belgium Street will be necessary to provide for the carrying of the tramway tracks, together with space for one line of vehicles on each side. Karangahape Road will he carried across the new roadway by a bridge. Timmways by Direct Route. Of special importance is a proposal for 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 th« city lines; also 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 Graiton Bridge, Khyber Pass and Mount Eden traffic.

On either side of the central regraded portion of Upper Queen Street and Belgium Street, stated Mr. W. E. Bush (city engineer) in his report, the existing roadway would be left, providing a •pace for vehicles together with a footpath on each side of Queen Street, so as to allow direct vehicular and pedestrian •ceese to Karangahape Road, and similarly, in Belgium Street, a space for vehicles with a footpath on each side, •o providing direct vehicular and pedestrian access between these streets and Kaiangahape Road".

The coet of carrying out the work was estimated at £175,000 for the acquisition of properties, and £115,000 for constructional work, including regrading of Upper Queen Street and Belgium Street tnd the construction of a bridge under Kw-anpanape Road, making a total of £290,000.

Against this cost it was estimated that the realisation by resale of the kalawe of the properties acquired, and of betterment on properties not acquired fcy the council on the route, would • mount to approximately £12.3,000, making the net cost of the. improvement flfto.ooo, towards which it woiild be reasonable that the Transport Board contribute not lese than one-third, say, £55,000, making the net cost to the council Approximately f 110,000. "The improvement is one that will be leereasingly beneficial as population Sows and traffic increases," stated Mr. ush.

Day Street Scheme. TTio new thoroughfare from Hobson Street, through St. James Street, Day Street and Hopetoun Street, to Ponsonby Road, Mr. Bush stated, would start at the intersection of Hobson, Wellington and Pitt Streets and pass by a ehort cut through private property into St. James Street, following the line of St. James Street to Beresford Street, thence into Day Street and from the western termination of Day Street pass through private property to Howe Street, opposite Hopetoun Street, which route it would follow to Ponsonby Road. Certain regrading would be neces**ry in Day Street and in the private property, but it ? 3 not proposed to interfere with the -iresent grading of St. Jamee Street or Hopetoun Street to any appreciable extent. The roadway would ne carried out to a width of 66ft throughout, necessitating extensive widening of Day Street and the widening of St. James Street by six feet. The cost of carrying out the work is estimated at £21,000 for the acquisition of properties, £15,000 for carrying out of work exclusive of any further work to Hopetoun Street and £6600 for concrete paving to Hopetoun Street, niaking a total of £42,600. Towards the cost there should be a realisation by resale* of approximately £9000 and, further, there should be a considerable appreciation of the council's property in Hopetoun Street.

The principal advantage of the scheme «"as to prc ride a bypass road so that traffic proceeding to the western suburbs and not requiring to stop in Karangahape Road could use such road and thus relieve Karangahape Road from traffic that only caused congestion and therefore inconvenienced those doing business there. The width had been made 66ft, as it was not intended that the street should be used for tramway traffic , . Financing of Scheme. The Mayor. Mr. George Baildon. moved that, a conference be held with the Transport Boarrl to discuss the question "f finance and other issues involved, before the adoption of the schemes by the Council. Strong objection to this coarse wee takpn by Mr.-,1. Bloodworth, who eaid thf Rplrrium Street scheme had already liffii mirlfT rnn-iflieTation for six years arid -linuld harp- been adopted four

years ago. Building operations, he said. had been held up on account of the delav.

Ihe Mayor: Do you suggest we go on with the scheme without knowing what the Transport Board will pay? The importance of the scheme» for the future development of the city could not be questioned, said Mr. Bloodworth Approval of them had been expressed bv a large number of people, and the council .-hould avoid any further delay Denial that there had been any delav wa« voiced by Mr. J. A. C. Allum, who said various alternative schemes had been under consideration in committee, and it was fortunate the council had not rushed into an ill-considered scheme four or five years ago, when property value-, were high and numerous features still required attention. He supported the Mayor"-, motion that a conference should be held with the Transport Board. Mr. E. J. Phelaii supported the protest of Mr. Bloodworth on the ground that delay would result and the schemes would be held over until a new council was elected. The impression given to the public would be that the council was dodging its responsibility.

An amendment was moved l>v Mr. S. I. Crookes that the scheme should he approved and details discussed with the Transport Board. Any necessary modification of the scheme* could be made if that course were adopted. The amendment was lost and the motion carried, the Mayor remarking that there would be no serious delay. ami the conference with the Transport Board would have to be held, in any case, before submitting the scheme- to the Local Bodies' Loans Board.