PEDESTRIAN SUBWAYS NOT FAVOURED FOR CITY

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29778, 22 March 1962, Page 15

PEDESTRIAN SUBWAYS NOT FAVOURED FOR CITY

It would be unwise to recommend any underground or overhead pedestrian ways for the city until the whole question of vehicular and pedestrian traffic had been fully considered, the traffic committee told the City Council last evening. Hie committee recently discussed the possibility of installing pedestrian sußways in the city, particularly in Moorhouse avenue at the railway station, and in Cathedral square. “From a safety point of view, the physical separation of pedestrians and motor vehicles is desirable, wherever possible,” said a committee report. "Underground pedestrian subways represent only one means of achieving this. Others are by overhead bridges and by traffic signals, the latter being a partial separation only. “Except in conjunction with the railways there are no known subways of any significance in New Zealand. Evidence all over the world demonstrates the reluctance

of many pedestrians to use subways where one-level access is possible, though perhaps dangerous.” The report estimated that the cost of an underground pedestrian way would be £4O a lineal foot, and £BOO for entrance and exit, making the basic cost of a subway under an ordinary chain-yide street about £3500. Because of underground services there could be great additional costs in some areas. Bridges Cheaper Generally in Christchurch, overhead bridges would be cheaper than subways, the report said. They would be unsightly and probably unsatisfactory in the central area. A special case would be at the railway station. There, the multitude of services would make an underground crossing almost physically impossible. Tn the central area, while there is signal control there does not seem to be any great justification for separation,” the report continued, “Prob-

ably in the future it will be highly desirable in many cases.”

In Cathedral square, it was considered that' unless vehicular traffic was eliminated or restricted by some major replanning, it might be necessary to have underground access to the central plot, at leasit from the north and south ends. “Given sufficient area to plan adequate approach ramps, underground pedestrian subways could probably be constructed at most locations in Christchurch where they are likely to be required,” the report concluded. ‘They would be expensive and very thorough detailed investigation and planning would be required before a recommendation could be made, or indeed even a scheme proposal put forward, for any particular location.” The report, which was by the council’s engineers, left the way open for the future, said Cr. M. McLean, chairman of the committee. “I will bring it up again at the committee, with further evidence.”