WANTED: TUNNELS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 848, 21 June 1910, Page 6

WANTED: TUNNELS.

THE CITY AND MIRAMAR. WORKS IN THE FUTURE. Tho residents of Hataitai and Nortli Kilbirnie are strongly dissatisfied with tho present tunnel, and loud in their demuml for some improved, means of communication with the cityjwhich will provide for the requirements of pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Tho tramways department of tlio City Council is dissatisfied with the tunnel, because it was not constructed wide enough to take a double line of tramway, and the traffic to tho growing holiday resorts and residential suburbs east of tho city grows with a rapidit/ wliich threatens to baffle its best organisation and devices. At tho same time, the people of South Kilbirnio -and •Phe further district, as well as those oi' Newtown, are calling for a tramway connection -by way of Constable Street, and Councillor Luke, in a motion which is to come before the council at its special meeting on Thursday, urges the provision of some "improved access" between tho oity and the southern portion of its outlying areas, leaving it for the city engineer to say what means of access in particular may be most advisable. It is understood that Councillor Luke's idea is the formation of a cutting at a reasonable lovel between the Home for the Aged Needy and tho new rice-regal residence, or further south, but he leaves it to the engineer to propose a tunnel if that plan should be thought more feasible. It is agreed by those who ought to know-that if the Miramar peninsula, is to in future, a great industrial area, Constabio Street may provide a satistory route for th«> heavy vehicular traffic which must ensue. Tho grade of Constable Street, on 'he Newtown side above the Congregational Church, is 1 in 10, which is muc'l too steep for heavy traffic, of vehicles, and the grade is so continuous and steady that it is difficult to improve it by cuttiug.. At the same time, if it was desired to construct a tunnel which would tako tramway, pedestrian, and vehicular traffic, the width would require to bo'over 40 feet, since nothing less than a double tramway line could be provided for, and this would necessitate an exceedingly expensive tuDnel. It is probable that expert advice will prefer a tunnel to u cutting, but, in order that tho expense may not bo too prohibitive, it is suggested that, the most likely solution of the problem would be a tunnel— which might be 33 Jeet broad—for vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and an extension of the tramway over Constabio Street. The tunnel would require to have a grade of not more than 1 in 30,. in order that the heavy industrial traffic which is expected in the future might be properly dealt with. Allowing that such a tunnel were constructed somewhere in tho direction indicated by Councillor Ltfkc's notice of motion, there would still bo the objection that it would not satisfactorily servo Hataitai and North Ivilbirnie, and a far-distant day may see no less than three tunnels piercing the ridge of hills which separates tho city from its eastern suburbs. - But of all tho projects indicated, tho only ono that , seems to have any chance of early consummation is the Constabio Street extension of tho tramway, which is most immediate in importance, and would bo much tho cheapest in construction. Even for that work tho prospects are not particularly bright at present, as a loan of .£IOO,OOO will first require to bo authorised by the ratepayers for tho duplication of the Wainui main, and the present year is recogniscd by tho council to be one in which, owing to financial conditions, no ex-, pensive works that can well be postponed should bo undertaken. It is urged by thoso who do not live in tho eastern suburbs that a second tunnel, though it will, no doubt, become an imperative necessity some tamo in the future, is not yet specially needed. If the tramway traffic the present tunnel were relieved by the construction of tho Constable Street extension, tho worst trouble that is now experienced would be relieved. As against the frequent statement that tho construction of tho existing tunnel at its present width was a great blunder, it is stated that when that tunnel was constructed, it was mainly meant to serve Kilbirnio and Hataitai, and the immense development of Miramar and the other eastern suburbs was not foreseen. If the Hataitai Land Syndicate had not contributed £10,000, f .he tuunel would not have been built at tho time it was. v

Councillor Luke's motion, proposes that (he city engineer be asked to make a survey and prepare costs for providing better access to Kilbirnio South, and the Mayor has promised that Mr. Morton will be also asked to consider the question of improving ' communication with Hataitai and North Kilbirnie, either by alterations to tho existing tunnel or by a new work. The whole question, therefore, is likely to receive expert consideration within the next few weeks, and whatever tho' City Council may find itself financially able to perform Mr. Morion's reports on tho position will be awaited with unusual interest.