Motorways Assessment

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 3

Motorways Assessment

(N.Z'. Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 19. Two hundred and twenty miles of motorways will be required by 1976, says the report on New Zealand roading needs for the next 10 years, released by the National Roads Board at its meeting in Wellington today. Prepared by the roading division of the Ministry of Works, the report says that the population of New Zealand will reach 3,326,000 in 1967—a 26 per cent increase over 1965 —and in the same period vehicles on the road will increase by 57 per cent to 1,340.000. Cars are expected to show the biggest proportionate increase.

With the increase in cars and population New Zealand will only relieve its urban congestion by expanding its current 38 miles of motorway to 220.

Although urban and near urban motorists comprise less than 5 per cent of the total

mileage of highway, their financial needs for the next 10 years are 53 per cent of the total, at 1965 prices. The report says that during the next 10 years the rural highways must continue to absorb the largest proportion of the board’s construction funds as the current two-lane highways will have to be duplicated to cater for the normal economic development.

Traffic volumes are moving beyond the capacity of the current two-lane highways, the report says.

There are clear indications that the needs for a rapid advancement of the bridging programme will be necessary to reap the benefits of the upgrading of the roads. The report says that although the board’s revenue will increase considerably and may reach £5O million by 1976, any rise in revenue means a corresponding rise in physical needs because the source of the revenue is the motor-vehicle.

A characteristic of such needs is that they tend to rise more quickly than available revenue.

With the present backlog of needs, it is unlikely that revenue will be sufficient to meet more than 80 per cent of the assessed needs of the next 10 years. Considered in relation to other sectors of the economy, 80 per cent fulfilment of reading needs as estimated will be a satisfactory achievement, the report concludes.