Express Routes As Outlets For Cities

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 14

Express Routes As Outlets For Cities

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 16. The National Roads Board today agreed in principle with a suggestion by the Director of Reading (Mr P. L. Laing), that express routes could be constructed by stages. Mr Laing said he did not suggest such routes would have the traffic potential of a full motorway, but, perhaps, they could reach a stage whereby a motorway would remain a “pipe dream.” Because they would use at least some mileage of existing road reserve express routes would not add to the mileage to be maintained to the same extent as new roads on new reserves. “This is a ‘kite-flying’ suggestion, and it may be discarded as insufficiently enterprising.” said Mr Laing. If the board thought the idea was worthwhile, the Ministry of Works could be asked to consider the main inter-city routes where motorways had been talked of. Express routes of the type suggested could be laid off on paper and broken down into sections of motorway, expressway, limited access and divided all-purpose roads. “It this is not done, I fear that thinking will become frozen into a pattern of motorways only,” said Mr Laing. These were so ambitious and so destructive of property that he saw the board becoming reluctant to

move in planning because of the difficulties. On the other hand, general intentions to develop express routes could be accepted much more cheerfully. This planning was required if districts were to select the more urgent works properly. Land problems associated with motorway planning were formidable in built-up areas and very upsetting to land-owners in developed rural areas. Express routes should not meet the land-owner resistance that motorways encountered. The chairman, the Minister of Works (Mr Goosman), said the suggestion had a lot of merit. By adopting Mr Laing’s proposals the board could very much improve the roads at a greater rate. He was sure the board could give motorists better value far sooner that way than by providing motorways.