Minister Asks For North Outlet Plans

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28747, 19 November 1958, Page 14

Minister Asks For North Outlet Plans

Ministry of Works engineers in Christciiurdi and the No. 14 district roads council were last evening advised by the chairman of the National Roads Board and Minister of Works (Mr Watt) to proceed with survey and investigation for the proposed northern traffic outlet for Christchurch and submit a ‘‘tangible and practical scheme on paper that we can get our teeth into.”

“It is a little bit up in the clouds at the niomen We want it brought down to earth," he said.

Mr Watt made his comments | at a conference of local body,; motoring, traffic control, and departmental engineering interests in Christchurch to discuss road-; ing problems peculiar to the district.

The District Commissioner ot i Works (Mr A. E. Clark) outlined his views on the northern traffic outlet proposals. Mr Clark said a lot ol work had to be done before the northern

(motorway could be built There jhad to be surveys, investigation of bridge sites and foundation ('works, design of quite a number iof structures, including motorway stations, and acquisition of jland. That did not include tin-

I lancing which would have to be 1 done over a period of years. The : matter should not be left to the ; time in the future when serious I 'congestion in the north could be i expected even on week-days. "For those reasons we ask the board, as soon as possible, to give approval of the first stage of this motorway. It cannot be delayed too long,” he said. Mr Watt said that his own impressions were that the most imi portant section of the proposed j work lay between Kaiapoi and Chaneys corner. If that section could be constructed in complete (stages motorists could get the full benefit as they were finished and married with the existing ; roading system. ! The roads board cngmcer-in-Ichief (Mr L. C. Malt): Yes. Waimakariri Bridge I One of the most important tasks was the crossing of the Waimakariri river, Mr Malt continued. On the site, depended the motorway route and it would be necessary to look well ahead to see that the bridge went on its correct site.

"The National Roads Board will be pleased to receive from you the results of your surveys and investigations,” he said. Mr Malt said he felt that the problem of the Waimakariri river traffic congestion would have to ; be served “in the cheapest way in which it can be achieved from the roads board point of view.” The Director of Reading <Mi W. F. Youngi suggested that the district roads council should dci cide what amount of its annual allocation it would permit to be impinged on the northern motorway scheme. "Taking an ' extreme example.” he asked if the council would consider the project worth it if it took all the allocation. “If the tuture of the northern highway is going to be equated to allocation wc will never get ; one or it will take 50 years. ’ said Mr Clark. I “I am sure you would not ' agree to that." he added, turning to Mr Watt.

I Mr Watt: We have 20 districts and they all say the same thing. : but I agree with you to some • extent. Mr Watt said he would advise the roads council not to send him a design for a two-lane bridge ! for the W'aimakariri river as someone had suggested during the day. 1 “Make it four lanes to start 1 with. If you want six lanes we 1 will look at that later on We want to get rid of traffic, not congest it.” he said Mr Young was right in his attiI tude at looking at projects from ''an overall national point of viev | —“dividing the roads boaru cake.” he said • Cr F. W. Waltei (Waimairi): ‘(Were the allocations for Dunediu and Auckland cut for outlets? Mr Young: It was not takei from district allocations. It wa.- ■ put on the list of things to be ■; done. • zN voice: The icing on the > icake. , “Will this matter be discussed J with local bodies at a later date?” I (asked the Mayor of Kaiapoi 'Mr . JC. T Williams' i Mr Williams said his council II did not see eye to eye with the . district roads council on the pro- | icct. particularly the route line. J but it did agree there should be 'an improved bridging of thv ■ Waimakariri river. '| Mr Watt said it was always the “policy of the Ministry of Works ‘ito discuss proposals such as this | with local bodies. Kaiapoi would ’ have the opportunity to put its ’(ease before officers who would ' act with integrity and sincerity •! in deciding the matter.