Reading Works To Fit In With Tunnel

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29908, 23 August 1962, Page 12

Reading Works To Fit In With Tunnel

Works ancillary to the Christchurch-Lyttelton road tunnel were all scheduled for completion in time for the expected use of the tunnel on January 27, 1964, the Ministry of Works said yesterday in a report to the tunnel and port works co-ordination committee.

The ministry set out the following programme and completion dates:— Lyttelton end of the tunnel approach: March, 1963. Heathcote end, adjustments to Bridle Path road and access roads: end of 1962.

Underpass near the toll booths giving access to Heathcote traffic from Lyttelton: end of March, 1963.

New reservoir to seiye the tunnel, with associatea pipelines at the Heathcote end: April, 1963. Commenting an the road formation from the toll booths to the railway line, the ministry said it was expected to be done by the end of November. The rest of the formation from the railway line to Ferry road was expected to be completed by the due date, December, 1962.

Contracts for construction of a bridge over the Heathcote river and an overbridge over the railway were due to be completed by next June.

Designs for the underpasses at Port Hills road and at Horotane Valley were well in hand. Tenders would be called at the end of September, and the work was expected to be finished in 12 months.

Metalling Tenders would be called late this year for metalling from Ferry road to the portal and should be completed by May, 1963. It was planned to carry out the sealing work in one contract just before the opening of the road tunnel. The contract would be advertised during next winter for commencement in the summer and for completion by the end of January, 1964. To Mr A. A. Macfarlane. chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, the District Commissioner of Works (Mr E. C. Smart) said the ministry had no specific responsibility at the Lyttelton end beyond the roundabout at the tunnel approach.

On Mr Macfarlane's suggestion, the meeting went into committee to hear a report by the board’s engineer-in-chief (Mr J. A. Cashin). It was necessary to keep the report confidential, as it had not yet been considered by the board, he said.

Lyttelton Streets Preliminary plans for the widening of Norwich quay and Gladstone quay had been received, but there was nothing final yet, said the Mayor of Lyttelton (Mr J. B Collett). “Personally, I think we should raise our sights a bit." he said. He favoured nothing less than 100 ft for the Norwich quay roadway, said Mr W. Dodds (Lyttelton Borough Council). Because the tunnel carried only two lanes of traffic did not mean that the roadway of Norwich quay should not be capable of carrying much more “A roadway of 100 ft is not just desirable, it is essential." said Mr Macfarlane. "Norwich quay will be one of the busiest streets in New Zealand, and if it is not put. right now it never will be ” “Our port and tunnel require an uninterrupted highway as wide as we can get it." said Mr F. W. Freeman, who favoured an approach to the National Roads Board for assistance.

The meeting supported the borough council in its plan to widen Norwich quay to at least 100 ft, and agreed that it would support any approach to the Roads Board for assistance. Mr R. A. Young said the Railways Department, which was vitally interested in the port development, should be represented on the committee.