ACCESS TO EASTERN SUBURBS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 284, 26 August 1922, Page 10

ACCESS TO EASTERN SUBURBS

TUNNEL ROUTES DISCUSSED CITY COUNCIL ASKED TO EXPEDITE WORK A meeting of Lyall Bay residents, under the auspices of the Lyall Bay Municipal Electors’ Association, was addressed on Thursday by Mr. E- A. Batt in regard to the proposed second tunnel to give access to residents of the eastern suburbs. Mr. A. C. Blake presided. . . Mr. Batt urged a wider civic and community spirit in the matter of the tunnel am’ongst eastern suburban residents, and stressed the need for the immediate raising of the money voted by the City Council, which had shown even more apathy than the public. The moiwy voted, he said, had to be spent within five years, two of which had passed. A statement made by the Mayor in rfgard to the formation of a park by spoil from the tunnel showed that he had in mind the Goa Stregt-Sussex Square tunnel project ( Mr. Morton’s original plan. Hataitai opposed that project, for the reason that the tunnel proposed by Hataitai would serve all other suburbs equally well, and would at the same time serve north Hataitai and Roseneath, which the Goa Street tunnel would not do. To use the Goa Street tunnel would mean Hataitai residents o-oing south to Goa Street, and would then bring them out at Sussex Square only. Another point Was that if the Goa Street tunnel were built Hataitai would be left for all . time with the present inadequate tunnel as it stood, and no direct pedestrian or traffic outlet to the city. There wore at present 6000 people be; tween Wellington Road and Hataitai North, and that district would easily carry 12,000 people when fully built on, and 15,000 taking in old Roseneath. Looking ahead, the latter number could not be served by the present tunnel, but if the second tunnel were put through where Hataitai suggested, it would serve .all south of Hataitai, as well as ensuring transit from thait already thickly populated area. His proposal was a tunnel coming up Elizabeth Street to the corner of Queen Street, and then cutting diagonally across a congested block to the corner of Queen and Austin Streets, ana thence via Queen Street and Rixon Grove to the indentation m the hill, a little to the north of the present tunnel, the exit on the eastern side being in the gully to the north of the present southern exit. The sum of £167,000 had been voted. The tunnel lie pro rosed was estimated to cost £BO,OOO. It would bo 374 feet broad by 20ft. high, bricked throughout, and would carry on© set of rails, a twoway space for vehicular traffic, an< J a sidewalk for pedestrian traffic. If the route of approach were that suggested, by Elizabeth Street, the compensation for the houses en route would he £30,000. If an alternative route via. Queen Street to Rixon Grove wore chosen, the compensation for widening the street would be approximately £lB,OOO. Personally h 6 favoured th® former route. With approaches, this tunnel would cost £120,000. leaving £47 000 for emergencies. The grade by way of Elizabeth Street, diagonally to Queen Street and Rixon Avenue, would give a reasonable grade. Ine grade of the tunnel would be 1 in 26. The grade of the present tunnel was 1 in 30, buc the approach was 1 m H on the city side and 1 in 13 in M aitoa Road. The approach of this proposed tunnel on the Hataitai side would be easier, as it was not proposed to take all traffic along Moxham Avenue, but to make a uew 66ft. wide already agreed ix) by the City Council, along the Town Belt at the back of Waitoa Avenue, striking Waitoa Road higher up and giving a better grade. If the tunnel were put through as he proposed, tram traffic could go outwards by one tunnel and inwards by the other, which would be impossible if the exits were not almost side by side, but at Goa Street and at Wftitoa Road. To take people out of the city at the dangerous Dufierin Street corner at the Basin Reserve would be bad town planning, while the probability of getting :;he land from the Wellington College governors was by no means certain. With the erection of the Girls’ College there would be a shortage of play areas. Mr. F. J. Jones suggested bringing the lino in from the citv straight up Elizabeth Street to the belt and then round into the proposed tunnel. This, Mr. Batt thought, would necessitate a great deal of filling in, perhaps 20 feet. Mr. Blake suggested that the waste spoil from the tunnel he used for reclamation purposes on the foreshore at Lyall Bay. After hearing Mr. Batt’s proposal, the matter was discussed by the Lyall Bay Municipal Electors’ Association, and the following motion was carried; —“g/liat this meeting urge the City Council to proceed without delay with the promised tunnel to the eastern suburbs.”