Passing Lanes Opposed

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30858, 17 September 1965, Page 1

Passing Lanes Opposed

(From Our Own Reporter) TIMARU, Sept. 16. A report by the district highways engineer (Mr J. G. Sullivan) opposing the construction of passing lanes on the AshburtonTimaru section of No. 1 State highway was deferred at a meeting of the No. 15 District Roads Council today. # “In view of the report, it seems hopeless to push the matter further,” said Mr P. B. Foote, of the Timaru City Council.

Mr Sullivan said the speed of traffic on the long straight stretches of the highway was such that overtaking vehicles covered a considerable distance when passing other traffic before they had completed the manoeuvre. For a line of four vehicles to pass two slower ones an extra lane for more than 3000 ft would be required. “Any overtaking lane would have to be at least half a mile long to be of significant use,” said the report. Danger Seen

Although three-lane highways had some merit, short sections of such construction could be dangerous and could not be recommended, and it would thus be necessary to have independent passing lanes for each side of the road. The distance between such passing lanes would require to be such that drivers hemmed in behind slow drivers did not become frustrated and take unnecessary risks. A driver forced to follow behind a 35 miles per hour vehicle would travel about three miles in five minutes, and this would appear to be a reasonable distance between specially prepared

(passing lanes. On this basis, said the report, half a mile of four-lane carriageway would be required for each three miles and a-half of highway, or an average of one mile in seven. For 12 such sections between Ashburton and Timaru, the cost would be approximately £50,000. Economic Level

Highways were not normally designed for peak-hour flows and inconvenience at those times was accepted as necessary in order to keep construction costs to a reasonable economic level, said the report. A further point was that at the end of each passing lane there would be merging streams of traffic, and this presented an element of danger.

“The question of passing lanes on this section . . . has been discussed with officers of our reading division, who feel that traffic densities do not yet warrant such treatment, especially in view of the low volumes as compared with many North Island routes.

“Consequently, the construction of such lanes is not recommended,” the report said.