Tunnel or Bridge?

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 69, 14 December 1933, Page 11

Tunnel or Bridge?

Sir, —Apparently the movemeut-on foot in Auckland to bridge the Waitemata, is to be assisted by funds from the unemployment tax. With this I have no complaint, as no doubt such work is truly national in character, but we are left to presume that the relative merits of a bridge over and a tunnel under the harbour have been well considered, and the latter proposal duly rejected by those concerned. It would be interesting to know on what grounds this decision was arrived at, as it would appear that the merits, if not equal, weigh more heavily on the side of the tunnel.

America has its share of underriver tunnels, built in. preference to bridges, and a recent notable example is the Detroit motor tunnel connecting Detroit with Canadian territory in- the Great Lakes district.

Economy of upkeep, safety and comfort for the travelling public, shortness of approaches, etc., seem to be inherent advantages of a tunnel scheme, and it is doubtful if a bridge possesses other advantages to outweigh these. If so, I should like to hear about them. —I am, etC ” “SUBMARINE.” Masterton, December 12.