“Traffic In. Towns”

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30481, 1 July 1964, Page 14

“Traffic In. Towns”

Sir,—Your leader of June 24 in reply to the City Study Planning Group must leave many of your readers confused and apprehensive. If, as you state, “the Buchanan group studied densely - populated areas with narrow streets in a web-like pattern,” whereas Christchurch has similar characteristics to sprawling American cities with. relatively wide streets in a grid pattern, but with only a fraction of their population, then surely we must ask: Why are motorways necessary for Christchurch? Many responsible and informed-citizens believe and are convinced that, with proper planning and development, our main avenues of Christchurch can adequately serve the central areas of our city without resort to costly and destructive motorways. All we ask is that the Regional Planning Authority re-exam-ine their whole approach to this traffic problem.—Yours, F' TOMLINSON. June 30, 1964.

[lf no motorways were built traffic in 1980 would 'be reduced to a standstill in Moorhouse avenue, Deans avenue, Colombo street, and Cranford street, and almost to a standstill in Lincoln road and Papanui road, and there would be serious congestion in Ferry road, Waltham road, Blenheim road, and Rossall street. The disfigurement of the avenues could not relieve all these streets. What “alternative approach” is there to roads for traffic? -—Ed., “The Press.”}