BLENHEIM ROAD ACCESS

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

BLENHEIM ROAD ACCESS

Agreement Reached

On Scheme

Agreement in principle on the linking of Blenheim road with Moorhouse avenue, Hagley avenue, and Lincoln road was reached by the National Roads Board and the Christchurch City Council yesterday.

The new scheme provides for a roundabout where Blenheim road meets Deans avenue; an encroachment of about 10ft on Hagley Park, involving the removal of one tree; the widening of the bend at Matson’s corner; the tapering of Moorhouse avenue west of Hagley avenue to give a four-lane road to the intersection, this involving the removal of at least seven trees; and the closing of Grove road.

The City Council would be pleased to hear the •‘straight-from-the-shoulder” views of members of the Roads Board on the Blenheim road access, said the Mayor (Mr G. Manning). The board had studied the problem on a visit to Blenheim road that morning, said the Minister of Works 'Mr Watt), and he hoped [that the solution of the problem provided by the engineers would satisfy Christchurch. The situation was that there was a brand new Blenheim road capable of dealing with a big volume of traffic, as was Moorhouse avenue, said the Director of Reading (Mr W. F. Young). The problem before planning advanced too far was to see how to make the best use of the two arterial roads by joining their ends. At some time, near the crucial junction of Moorhouse avenue and Lincoln road, it was believed there would be some concentration of routes in the future planning. 100 ft Roundabout The scheme the board had in mind for dealing with the link contemplated having a 100 ft diameter roundabout at the junction of Blenheim road and Deans I avenue, said Mr L. C. Malt (roads [engineer’. From there to the right-angled junction at Moorhouse avenue the removal of the hedge and the setting back of the road to a type of fence already round the park were proposed. ,The right-angled corner would be ! widened and shaped very slightly, with little interference to the trees On the Deans avenue side of the [Moorhouse avenue-Hagley avenueLincoln road intersection, the ' road would be tapered to line up with the main part of Moorhouse avenue, so that cars travelling to and from Moorhouse avenue I would face each other at the junction There would be no need for a turning movement by crossing traffic. Closing of Road The closing of Grove road was also proposed, with traffic lights at the corner of the avenue and Lincoln road to cater for traffic for a number of years, at least until the city planners and the board’s engineers had sorted out a roading system for Christchurch. said Mr Malt. “It appears that we will take out one tree at Deans avenue and seven on the fringe of trees closest to the road in Moorhouse avenue near Hagley avenue.” said Mr Malt.

By the closing of Grove road, the intersection would be made a simple four-road junction, Mr Malt replied to the Mayor. A suggestion that a bigger corner should be taken from the saleyards so that the park would not be encroached on by the roundabout was advanced by the Mayor. What was the necessity for the .roundabout at the Bldnheim road-Deans avenue intersection?, asked Cr. N. R. Forbes. The intersection could be covered by a compulsory stop at Deans avenue or the approach from the bridge or by a set of traffic lights. Matson’s corner should be widened and Deans avenue tarsealed the full width from fence to fence. All reticulation in Moorhouse avenue and Deans avenue should I be underground. “Last Resort’’ Mr Malt replied that he looked upon traffic lights as an engineer’s last resort. He preferred a physical type of design to allow traffic to move continously, although it might be slowed. Stopping in a city street was obnoxious to road users. Traffic held up in Blenheim road west of Deans avenue would cause a danger. Pleasure that only one tree would have to be removed from the park frontage to Deans avenue was expressed by Cr. H. E. Denton. He could see nothing wrong with the set-up—he was delighted with the plan. A lot of thought had been given to it. The scheme was as near perfection as possible.

Was it possible to place the roundabout closer towards Blenheim road? asked the Mayor. Th placing on the plan was ideal, geometrically, replied Mr Malt.

Order was coming out of chaos in Deans avenue, said Cr. W. J. Cowles. The reserves committee of the council wanted to have a look at the plan for the Hagley avenue end of the scheme before it was approved.

The planning by the Ministry of Works was on the lines envisaged by the town-planning committee, said Cr. W. P. Glue. The plan was an honest attempt to modify the entrance to Blenheim road. If a dozen trees were moved, who would miss them? Modified Bend One proposal was to build a 35-mile-an-hour curve at Matson’s corner, but speeds were restricted to 30 miles an hour in the city, said Mr Malt, in reply to the Mayor. It was felt that a little shaping of the corner would do the job as well as that achieved by a much bigger expenditure. If Deans avenue and Moorhouse avenue were to be fourlane roads, the radius of the bend ai Matson’S corner would be very small, said the City Engineer (Mr E Somers). The new curve would be a 20-mile-an-hour curve, answered Mr Malt.

The possibility of a future problem at the Lincoln road intersection because of greater traffic.

which could not be solved by lights, was raised by Mr Somers. Mr Malt agreed that the problem might arise. When the master transportation plan for the city was evolved by the Regional Planning Officer (Miss Nancy Northcroft), the intersection would have to be given another look. The public's anxiety had been that a substantial encroachment would be made on Hagley Park, said Cr. M. A. Connelly, M.P. The plan seemed to be the one giving the greatest measure of satisfaction, with the least possible interference to the park. ‘‘You can take it that the council accepts your suggestions in principle,’’ the Mayor told the Minister. More Trees? The proposal outlined by Mr Malt was very close to what the Ministry of Works thought should be done, said the District Commissioner of Works (Mr A. E. Clark). “But I would not like the meeting to think that we have committed ourselves to the removal of only eight trees.’’ said Mr Clark. “It might be necessary to have slight modifications. Per-! haps the council will agree to; having a lonk at the final pro-; posals. We cannot say definitely now whether it will be 10 or 12. trees.” The City Council was united in jealousy over the park, and at the same time was concerned with the ’ safety of traffic. sa:d Mr Manning. The plan showed that the Roads Board also had those two points in view and had met the situation as envisaged by I the City Council. i “We realised there would be ! opposition to taking much of [your Hagley Park.” said the MinSister. “Let me assure the counicil that the officers of the Minjistry of Works are always avail-! able for consultation. The details of the scheme have to be ironed out, but if we have close co-operation between the City Council and the Ministry of Works engineers I am sure this problem will be resolved all right. And I am sure this is the correct solution to it.”