Board asked to pay for subway;

Press, 7 June 1980, Page 6

Board asked to pay for subway;

The National Roads Board i has been asked to supply ;the $85,000 needed to build a bicycle subway under the I Christchurch southern i motorway at Annex Road, i The need for a cycle I underpass to be ready when ■ the motorway is opened in ! February next year was j unanimously supported at the z No. 14 District Roads Council meeting yesterday. . Last month the roads roard said it was up to Christchurch local authorities to present the proposed subway to the board through the roads council as a localbody subsidised work. “It should clearly be the responsibility of the board. If it was a crossroad. there would be no problem as a bridge would be built or traffic lights installed,” Mr N. Dodge said. “There was adequate cycle access before the motorway was built so it is up to the board to rectify the situation. There is definitely no thought on the part of local

authorities to subsidise' the work,” Mr D. B. Rich said. ; “If the work is done now rather than being left td when the motorway isj opened in February, it will! cost less. and there will notj be the nuisance value of try-i ing to build an underpasd when traffic is using the; highway,” said the acting! district commissioner (Mr M. R. Lancaster). “It is estimated that 249 cyclists a day would use thd underpass and taken over ai 10-year period this would work out at 10 cents ped year per cyclist,” Mr Dodge said.... ...... - .... ..j According to. a reporb from the District Highways; Engineer (Mr R. D. Odams)l the number of cyclists in! Christchurch has increased! 11 per cent over the last year and cycle traffic in the! Annex RPad-Curletts Roadi area is up 15 per cent.. Because of expansion in near-', by - industrial areas more cycle traffic is expected, to be generated.