TRAFFIC PLANS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 104, 26 January 1939, Page 10

TRAFFIC PLANS

Needs Of Exhibition Time PROBLEMS IN KILBIRNIE Another step toward making provision for dealing with the exhibition traffic of 1939-10 has begun, the lifting of the paving of Hamilton Road, the tramway bypass road on the Kllbirnie route. This street, which was discussed when the Rualiine Street scheme was under lire, is to be widened to allow for motor traffic on both sides of the tram tracks. It will provide a short cut from Moxham Avenue to Kllbirnie Crescent or to the new Evans Bav causeway. The causeway has been sealed for some time am] is bearing considerable traffic. Hamilton Road may also be used as an outlet from Ruahine Street, which is at present being formed, if the idea is adopted of putting through a short road from Ruahine Street through Goa Street and Moxham Avenue properties, to connect diagonally wit* Hamilton Road. Supporters of this scheme contend that at the junction of Ruahine Street with Wellington Road exhibition traffic would have too sharp a turn to make and would get into trouble with traffic travelling down Wellington Road. But now that Ruahine Street is through it is seen that the width of the road provides ample room for the turn to or from either direction, and the difficulties may not be as great as expected. Kllbirnie Congestion. With the formation of Ruahine Street and the widening of Evans Bay Road south of the patent slip well in hand, it is expected that attention will be given shortly to the problems of tramway and motor traffic nearer the exhibition site. The congestion at the Kllbirnie Post Office corner, where No. 2 and No. 3 route trams meet and run on a single track, is already serious enough. The Tramways Department plans to eliminate Bay Road from No. 2 route by running tracks from Kllbirnie Crescent along Seatoun Road to connect .with the north portion of Onepu Road. A junction with Coutts Street tracks will enable trams to carry crowds to the Tirangi Street entrance to the exhibition, where a loop will be built. \ Another proposal, designed to leave the junction of the Evans Bay causeway and Seatoun Road quite free for motor traffic, is to construct a second road across ithe land at the south-west-ern corner of Evans Bay, and outside the existing road. This would keep motor traffic well away from the tram lines. The main exhibition parking area will be along the strip of land on the seaward side of Seatoun Road, with a space for 2000 cars, so that in any case most of the motor traffic will be kept away from the tram lines. Steps will probably be taken also to separate the two types of traffic on the Lyall Bay side, Wha Street and Freyberg Street suggesting themselves as trunk routes.