Avonside Drive widening ‘years’ away

Press, 27 March 1980, Page 7

Avonside Drive widening ‘years’ away

It will probably - be "many years” before Avonside Drive is widened into a four-lane highway, according to the Town Clerk of Christchurch (Mr J. H. Gray). Mr Gray was replying to a letter to “The Press” by R. East, who asked the City Council the following questions: What was the purpose of the expressway? Did east-west traffic, in an area of many cross-city routes, warrant a two-road, four-lane, expressway? How much would "this ridiculous, unnecessary scheme” cost the ratepayers? R. East also protested against the destruction of an “adequate road” and “a beautiful line of homes and gardens overlooking the Avon River.” Mr Gray said that on the evidence available to the council at present, assuming that the city and traffic developed as expected. the capacity of Avonside Drive between Fitzgerald Avenue and Woodham Road would be “quite inadequate and unsafe” by the time the city population reached 360,000.

“It is at present >2B(j.os>? and so the expressway is not expected to be necessary until the population has increased by about 30 per cent. How long that will be is problematical, but it will certainly be many years as we are now at virtually zero growth — it was 0.35 last., year." ■ . The expressway necu not be on the exact align-’., meat of the present Avon-fa side Drive, but should be in the vicinity. Mr Gray'., said. It could be con*structed by widening the present road or by relocating it. he said, bitt reloca ; tion would add greatly to the cost.

"The corridor designated, in the district scheme offers the most likely.. route, and its width is suU. ficient to allow several, possible solutions, some of : which would not require interference with the, Englefield property,” said . Mr Gray. . j Design details would, be undertaken fairly close to the date when the improvements were required. J The cost of the ex-.' pressway would not be known until then, he said.