ROAD TUNNEL PLANS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28794, 15 January 1959, Page 8

ROAD TUNNEL PLANS

Approval Today By Authority

Final plans and specifications for the Christchurch-Lyttelton road tunnel have been received from the Ministry of Works, and the consulting engineers, by the Road Tunnel Authority, which will meet this afternoon to approve them.

The plans vary little from the project as originally envisaged. The tunnel will be 95 chains long, carrying two lanes of traffic and with two 2ft pavements. Estimates of the costs are expected to reach the authority soon. Until they are received in detail, the Authority cannot make its first move towards financing the project, originally estimated at £2,500,000.

When the Authority approves the plans and specifications, they will be sent immediately to the local authorities concerned—the

Christchurch City Council and the Heathcote County Council—for approval. The Lyttelton Borough Council has already approved of works in its territory. No delay in formally approving the plans by the two local bodies is expected. The next step will be the preparation of an appreciation for the approval of the first loan to be raised by the Authority to pay for the construction of the tunnel.

Four or five contracting firms have already shown a keen interest in the tunnel project, tenders for which will be invited as soon as approval for the loan is given.