Elevated motorways “out”

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32846, 21 February 1972, Page 14

Elevated motorways “out”

Elevated motorways were now “out” because of public reaction to them in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and Honolulu, said the chairman of the Christchurch City Council airport and traffic committee (Cr W. Massey), who returned yesterday from a 14-day visit to the United States and Hawaii.

“The public in all the four Cities I visited had reacted so much against elevated motorways as a ‘God-for-taken-looking necessity’ that one city, an elevated motorway one-third completed has been stopped pending a public inquiry, the ; result of which will be; tnown soon,” said Cr Id&sscy. “In Honolulu, an elevated; motorway proposed by, planners has gone into the; ttnbo because of objections, >y the public; a proposal 1 br an elevated runway has, tone bv the board because if public rejection to its'

running down a beautiful; valley.” Where motorways were an! I unavoidable necessity, Cr 1 I Massey said, depressed | motorways rather than | elevated ones were becom-i ing the public choice. “A depressed motorway can be landscaped much more successfully; it does not obtrude on the skyline, and the noise from vehicles on it tends to go straight up instead of the sounds spreading over neighbouring land and houses,” he said. A depressed motorway costs half as much again as an elevated one. But Portland authorities were receivling inquiries from companies ’for air space over the depressed motorway in that; city, so that buildings could: be erected over it. “Such a move would bring in considerable revenue for I the local authorities,” Cr Massey said. The public’s swing against i elevated motorways Cr I Massey found of particular

interest, because of the Ministry of Works proposal to! elevate the central part of; | the north-south motorway ’through Christchurch. Making one-way streets into “clearways” by prohibiting parking on them at peak traffic hours ensured the maximum use of one-way street systems, as all lanes on them could be fully used, Cr Massey said. “Parking restrictions on the one-way street system when they are clearways (from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., for example) in Portland are strictly enforced,” he said. “Offenders find breaches costly. It costs $l6 for a tow-away fee, even if a car is left for two minutes. Once the tow hook I is on a vehicle, the fee is eni forced. A $lO fine is imposed, ! almost automatically, as well. It certainly keeps the streets in the system clear at peak periods.” Airport authorities he had spoken to were, without exception, impressed with the

economics of running the Christchurch Airport, Cr Massey said. “They considered the proifit the Christchurch authority made in running its airport. taking into account the comparable size with the United States airports, was very good,” he said. “Greater Portland has a population of about 750,000 compared with about 220.000 in greater Christchurch. Last year, two million people went through the Portland Airport compared with one million at Christchurch. “The Portland Airport authority plans to spend about s9Bm in extensions and improvements to 1986, compared with s3oom at San Francisco Airport and s3oom at Seattle Airport. “The Christchurch Airport authority has plans for a new domestic terminal to be completed by 1973, to be followed immediately by a bigger overseas terminal,”- Cr Massey said.