‘Greenwave’ for Fitzgerald Ave

Press, 4 February 1982, Page 4

‘Greenwave’ for Fitzgerald Ave

Fitzgerald Avenue traffic signals should come under Christchurch City Council central computer control within the next few weeks, making it easier for traffic to get into a ‘‘green wave” signal pattern and flow smoothly. The works and traffic committee learned yesterday that all cabling and wiring work associated with linking the major street’s signals had been completed. Cabling work for future linking in Moorhouse Avenue will also start soon. Five more television cameras, which monitor traffic movements, will be installed this year in the inner city. One of those cameras will be mounted at Hospital Corner, at the intersection of Riccarton ' and Hagley Avenues, Oxford Terrace and Tuam Street. Stanmore Road The committee delayed a decision on accepting traffic signal tenders for the Stanmore Road-North Avon Road intersection until the petrol

station owr.er at the Stapletons Road corner gets the results of a business survey from his consultants. The station owner is trying to make a case that a change in the entrance to Stapletons Road could harm his business. Cr D. C. Close, the committee chairman, said he would withdraw a tenders recommendation for the signals until the full council meeting on February 15. Work on the signals could start in March. Footbridge Acceptance of a $27,229 tender for widening and maintenance of the Antigua Street footbridge, by the boatsfieds, was recommended by the committee. ' Changes will not affect the bridge’s general configuration, but widening of' the decking will make passage easier for cyclists along the designated bicycle route. i The successful tenderer was W. J. Reynolds and Sons, Ltd. A second tenderer had bid $27,910 for the job.

Pages Road A traffic island and pedestrian crossing may be installed in Pages Road at the Woodham Road intersection as an interim measure to help school children and shoppers trying to cross. The island would serve as a “refuge” for nearby residents crossing to shops near the intersection, and a gap would be left to serve the petrol station. Councillors and traffic engineers said they still favoured some kind of restricted vehicle access to the wide Nicholas Drive-Coulter Street intersection with Pages Road, although residents have not been able to agree on a plan. Cr H. A. Clark said a traffic island installed on its own could create traffic dangers for motorists trying to reach the Coulter Street intersection.

-. “The real answer is widening at least this section of Pages Road to four lanes, with proper traffic signals," said Cr Close. “It will be a few years before we can do that.”