Chch intersection plan

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 1

Chch intersection plan

Part of the westbound one-way St Asaph Street would carry eastbound traffic if a redevelopment of the Ferry Road-High StreetMadras Street-St Asaph Street intersection goes ahead. The Christchurch City Council’s works and traffic committee yesterday adopted as a basis for discussion a plan that would

establish an eastbound link between High Street and Ferry Road along St Asaph Street. This would carry traffic east along St Asaph Street to an intersection with Ferry Road. The intersection of Ferry Road and St Asaph Street would be moved further from Madras Street. This link would reduce

the westbound St Asaph Street to two lanes (one a straight-through and rightturn lane) for part of its length. The need for traffic phases to cross the link-traffic over St Asaph Street to Ferry Road would compound delays, said Mr Mike Gadd,

the council’s traffic engineer. The layout was an interim one because the council’s advertised District Scheme showed the eventual closing of Ferry Road and the removal of the link for High Street. This was a long-term measure, to a degree dependent on plans for Barbadoes Street and Madras Street. The possible linking of Ferry Road and High Street through properties not at present designated for road widening would achieve a

similar effect to the proposed plan.

However, Mr Gadd said the present proposal had the advantage of using land on the southern St Asaph Street boundary owned by the Ministry of Works and Development and designated for road widening.

The proposal retained all the present High Street traffic movements, added an extra through-lane to St Asaph Street at the intersection, made possible a two-phase traffic intersection which would reduce delays, and relocated the Ferry Road intersection away from the St Asaph Street-Madras Street intersection, reducing traffic conflict.

Mr Gadd said the plan had been devised as a result of a meeting some months ago with representatives of the Christchurch Polytechnic and High Street businessmen. There was some urgency to finalise the plan’s design because of planned development at the polytechnic and the consideration by the Planning Tribunal of the one-way street system. Councillors insisted that the plan go to the polytechnic and businessmen before the committee approved it. The initial recommendation for approval of the plan was altered to its adoption for further discussion.