"Pedestrian Subways Will Be Built In Christchurch9

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29746, 13 February 1962, Page 14

"Pedestrian Subways Will Be Built In Christchurch 9

Pedestrian subways would ultimately be established in Christchurch, said the chairman of the City Council’s traffic committee (Miss M. McLean) yesterday. Miss McLean was replying to a letter by a correspondent. “Interested,” which appeared in “The Press” on February 8.

" The correspondent said Miss McLean had said the answer to pedestrian traffic at the main intersections and in Cathedral square was underground subways, and that they were in use in San Francisco. He asked her to name any intersection in San Francisco which had underground subways. The correspondent also attacked Miss McLean's remarks on underground parking overseas, saying the ground water conditions in San Francisco, where there was such a parking area, were very different from those in Christchurch. One-Way Traffic “Let us get on with oneway traffic in main city streets, more traffic lights, and four or five-storey parking buildings.” the correspondent said. Miss McLean said while the most urgent need for underground pedestrian subways was from north to south in front of the new railway station in Moorhouse avenue, there was a great need-for safety of pedestrians crossing Cathedral square. “Our traffic superintendents, engineers and officers have been warning us for some time of the danger to pedestrians at peak hours.” she said.

“In both Los Angeles and San Francisco there are car parks and pedestrian crossings below street level. Many of the large shops provide underground off-street parking for customers and in Los Angeles an underground car

park handling 3000 cars an hour is built entirely underneath a park. “On the Hudson river, the Queen Mary, carrying about 80,000 tons, travels up and down and you can cross under it in your car. When in Scotland I drove my car under the Clyde. I am told the Mersey has several creasings such as these. What about the miles of underground subways for pedestrians, trains, cars, and so on in London? “There is no need for your correspondent to go further than Cathedral square for] proof that this is possible! here in Christchurch. Have| a look at the building in progress in the north-west corner. They are preparing for private underground car parking, the successful work of a Christchurch builder. "One-way streets are being considered by the council’s officers. The council, at its last meeting, decided to seek approval from the Loans Board to erect a multistorey parking building on the comer of Gloucester andj Manchester streets.”