Schemes To Improve City Road To North

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28250, 11 April 1957, Page 7

Schemes To Improve City Road To North

Unanimous that improved northern access to Christchurch was necessary, a conference of North Canterbury local bodies and organisations yesterday approved several proposals to the National Roads Board for immediate improvements and for a new motorway route.

The conference was called by the Canterbury Progress League. Something should be planned C ow for the future, said Mr J. Manson, chairman of the league’s roads committee. It was especially needed in the north, and he suggested a “closed highway,” on which parking would be prohibited. The meeting adopted his motion that it emphasise the increasing problem of congestion between the city and the Ashley river and urge the National Roads Board to take steps to improve the present road and prepare plans for an alternative route on a motorway pattern, and have land gazetted for a new route.

Bridge Inadequacy It was agreed that the Roads Board should have its attention drawn to the inadequacy of the Waimakariri bridge and approaches, and asked if anything could be taken to improve the traffic flow.

On another decision to seek the views of local authorities on compulsory stop signs on all roads meeting the main road between the city ard the Ashley "bridge, Mr N. E. Kirk, the Mayor of Kaiapoi, said the Transport Department had refused to allow stop signs in the borough on the ground that it speeded up traffic. The meeting also agreed to suggest to the Roads Board the division of the road between Christchurch and Woodend into lanes and the sealing of the verges immediately.

The Transport Department was asked to conduct an “all-out war” against the mot?rists who fail to keep to the left and those who do not travel at a “reasonable” speed. Route Proposed There must be some immediate improvement, and a long-term plan for a new road which must not pass through a built-up area, and must connect easily with the mhin roads to the south and west, and with the Christchurch Airport said Mr Kirk. He proposed an investigation of a road beginning near the Styx overhead bridge, running north and west of Belfast, crossing the Waimakarir’ river in the Coutts Island area, proceeding to the Middle Island road, then on to Revells road in the Rangiora county, crossing the present road on the north side of the Woodend settlement.

Such a road, he said, would avoid passing through any builtup area, but it would give easy access to Belfast, Kaiapoi and Rangiora.

North of the Ashley bridge there was not a need for a fourlane highway, he said. Representatives of the Kaiapoi and Rangiora businessmen’s organisations and the Mayor of Rangiora (Mr C. W. Tyler) supported the route proposed by Mr Kirk as being in the best interests of North Canterbury. Something should be done to prevent ribbon development on

the present road, said Mr E. R. Casbolt (Automobile Association, Canterbury) or there would be a built-up area from Christchurch to Woodend.

Mr R. C. Neville .(Chamber of Commerce) said the local bodies associations should show that they were united in their demand for improvements, but should not worry too much at present about the route the new road should take.

That view was not supported by JJr ” r . L. F. Utley (City Council). He said that it was essential to know where the road was going to end at the city so that proper planning could be done. He would like to see a four-lane highway brought as close as possible to the centre of the city. Otherwise, he said, there might be the same position as in Blenheim road—“a beautiful highway which ends nowhere.” Department’s Work “The northern outlet project was very much alive from the point ot view of the Ministry of Works,” said the District Commissioner of Works (Mr A. E. u *^ le f° r imrovement had been fully appreciated, and during the last 12 months a lot of investigating work had been done.

It would take up to 10 years to get the new road built, said Mr Neville, but the present conditions could not be put up with for that long. The problems would increase.

The Waimakariri bridge was the main factor causing congestion, he said. Traffic could move more quickly over the bridge, and cycle tracks built out on the bridge would be an advantage. Lanes on the main road to Kaiapoi were favoured by Mr Utley. He said there would be three lanes, two being used for northbound traffic in the morning and two for south-bound traffic in the afternoon. That, he said, was done in places overseas to cater for the flow of traffic. He said the road edges could be improved, as at present most motorists regarded the concrete slabs as the whole roadway and travelled as close to the middle as possible.

Temporary Relief A four-lane road from the bridge to Chaneys corner, and north to the milk factory was a temporary relief proposed by Mr H J. Reynolds (Waimairi County Council).

‘‘l would not blame the bridge sc much as the fellow who dawdles along in the middle of the road at 15 miles an hour,” said Mr Manson. “From Woodend to Christchurch half your trouble is caused by dawdlers.”