Winter’s Road May Become Hazard

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30767, 3 June 1965, Page 11

Winter’s Road May Become Hazard

When traffic lights were installed at the Main North road-Cranford street intersection after the widening of the Main North road to a four-lane highway, Winter’s road—which joins the intersection must become “a traffic hazard,” and would have to be closed, said Mr G. C. Suggate, design engineer of the Ministry of Works.

Amplifying evidence he gave before the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board yesterday, Mr Suggate said that “channelisation” of traffic at the intersection would be along the lines of that at the Carlton Mill corner.

“Winter’s road then becomes more of a traffic hazard than it is now, especially when vehicles queue up to wait their turn at the lights,

or move according to their directions,” Mr Suggate said. There could be no break in the 15ft median strip on the Main North road opposite the entrance of Winter’s road—“that could not be contemplated,” Mr Suggate said—and that itself would partially close off Winter’s road. The median strip would eliminate right turns out of, and into, Winter’s road. Main Route Winter’s road is a main route for north-west Christchurch to the Burwood Hospital and Waimairi and Brooklands beaches. A new link road from Cranford street—beginning 10 chains from the Main North road intersection —to Winter’s road would cater for this traffic, which would move from the Main North road (from Papanui) on to Cranford street through the traffic lights, and into the link road, said Mr Suggate. There was vacant land in the area for this link road, and negotiations for its acquisition were proceeding, he said. Median Strip Reconstruction of the Main North road was proceeding from the Styx overhead bridge south to the Cranford street corner, said Mr Suggate. The median strip would be laid down in stages, with breaks opposite existing intersections, except Winter’s road. The road would be widened to 99ft —a 15ft median strip, and on each side two 12ft traffic lanes, an Bft parking and stopping strip, a sft grass berm and a sft footpath. Mr Suggate would not, however, forecast completion dates for this work —although before the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board yesterday he said that the Cranford street intersection lights should be working “towards the end of next year.”