SUBURBS EAST AND WEST

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 126, 25 February 1928, Page 8

SUBURBS EAST AND WEST

PROBLEMS OF ACCESS COMMISSION TO BEGIN WORK SHORTLY THE ORDER OF REFERENCE A work fraught with much significance in relation to the future growth of Wellington City is about to be undertaken by a commission appointed by the City Council to adviso as to the means of access to the eastern and western suburbs—Hataitai, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, and Watts’ Peninsula to the east, and Kelburn, Northland, and Karori to the west. The personnel of this commission, which is to commence its work in the first week in March, is as follows:—Messrs. J. Marchbanks (Harbour Board manager and engineer), who will be the chairman, W. E. Bush (city engineer ot Auckland), G. A. Hart (City engineer of Wellington), M. Cable (tramways manager), and H. F. Butcher . (city townplanner) The Order of Preference. The followim: are the matters the com mission is to inquire into and report upon The commissioners are requested to consider tlie whole question ot improved access to tlit. eastern and western suburbs, and are to recommend the most suitable route or routes to give additional or improved access for the purpose of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, including trams and buses, having consideration for the natural increase in the population which is expected in these areas. The commission, in making its recommendations, is requested to consider the foilowing matters:— 1. The directness of route in relation to the centre of the city is to be « consideration. 2. The routes are to be co-ordinated so as to give, as far as possible, the most direct communication with the city proper, and at the same time provide for suitable connections between the various suburbs for the purposes of all kinds of traffic. 3. The provision of access to suburbs of high elevation is to b<> considered. 4. The population present or future (which are not provided with tram access at. present), along the routes of existing ami proposed ways, is to be given consideration. "For the better enabling you to carry these presents into effect,” continues the order of reference, “you are hereby authorised and empowered to make and conduct any inquiry under these presents at such times and places in the City, of Wellington as you may deem expedient, with power to adjourn from time to time as you think fit, and to call before you and examine such officers of the City Council as you desire to call, and such other* persons as you think capable of affording you information in the promises. You are also hereby empowered to call for and examine all such liooks, papers, plans, writings, documents, or reoorts in possession of any officer of the City Council as you doom likely to afford you the fullest information on the subject matter of the inquiry. . . . and to take such other steps as may be available to you which you think necessary by all lawful moans what sever, to prosecute the inquiry.” The following facts and directions are set forth for the guidance of the comxnissioners:— Access to Eastern Suburbs. The present tunnel at the top of Elizabeth Street was constructed for tramway purposes witli tlie assistance of a contribution of <£lo,ooo .from the Hataitai Land Company Limited. It was originally intended to have a foo.wav through this tunnel, but the conditions imposed by the Public Works Department in connection will: the running of the trams were such that, in the opinion of the council and its advisers, as to make it preferable to have merely a tramway tunnel. The existing routes to the eastern suburbs are as follow: (1) Constable Street, diverging into Wellington Road and Crawford Road, affording access for all purposes of traffic, including tramway traffic along Crawford Hoad. (-) The tunnel to Hataitai, merely tramway access. (3) Carlton Gore Road and Grafton Road through Hataitai. for all purposes except tramway. (4) Oriental Bay and Evans Bay Load, access for all purposes except tramway. Tunnel and road routes have been proposed to the eastern suburbs song the following routes: (1) Vla Ellice Street and Town Belt; road and tramway access. (2) Via College Grounds, road and tramway access. (3) Via Hospital Road and the gully to the north of Coromandel Street and the 4°"',“ Belt to Kilbirnie, or alternatively branching southwards from the Hospital grounds at ■ Coromandel Street through private property and, the town Belt to join up with Crawtord Road, and/or Goa Street and Hataitai. (4) Via Rixon Grove. (5) Via Brougham Street and Brougham Terrace. The loan moneys available for tlie tunnel proposal amount to £161,-at, which loan was carried by a poll ot the ratepayers. Access to Western Suburbs. The main existing accesses to Western suburbs may be summed up as tojlow: —(1) Via Aro Street and haroa Load. Road access. (2) Via Ghuzuce Street Wellington Terrace and Kelburn: Boat and bus access. (3) By cab e ram a d Upland Road, Kelburn: 1 artly ll *“ u and partly road. (4) By Bowen blieet, Sydney Street, Glenbervie cutting, and Tinakori Road: Road access and Ipaillr tram access. (5) Via Hill Stiiet < Tinakori Road: Road access and partly train access. (6) \ia Moles worth btiee and Tinakori lioad: Bond and train acCe The following routes have been proposed or suggested by way of new routes or improvements, or alteiations to existing routes:—(l) Tram route via Raroa Road, making tram and cess. (2) Tram route via Norway st >cet, with tunnel, road and tram access. (3) To the Terrace via 1 lagstaff lint, thence bv tram or bus along Salamanca Road, Kelburn Parade, Glasgow Street, Upland Road, and the Viaduct to Karori. (4) Lift from Boulcott Street to the Terraco and similarly io Karori as ill Number (3). (5) Acquisition of Kelburn tram by City Council. 16) New road from Bowen Street around or under the cemetery, with possible tunnel. (7) Tram route from Molesworth Street to Tinakori Road via Hill Street The amount of loan money available, voted by the ratepayers, is £66,986 tor a tram route via Raroa Road.