HUTT ROAD TRAFFIC CAPACITY

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 6, 2 October 1944, Page 3

HUTT ROAD TRAFFIC CAPACITY

Expected To Meet Future Requirements

NEW ROUTE IN VALLEY Subject to correction for an increased ratio between motor-vehicles and population, the Hutt Roa<l should satisfactorily till future transport requirements, said Mr. G. N. T. Goldie, town-planning otiicer attached to the Wellington city engineer’s department, when giving evidence before the Hutt Harbour Commission. The road,, he said, might require improvement, but not necessarily widening. The opinion was expressed by Mr. A. E. Forsyth, civil engineer attached to the Transport Department, that an eastern Hutt Bead shoull be provided right through to Silverstream, avoiding the river crossings. (It is understood that this is already planned by the Public Works Department.) He added that the stage might be reached where a fourlane highway from (Silverstream to upper Hutt would be necessary. “It is admitted that the capacity of this main, roadway is controlled by its weakest link, or the maximum of vehicular movement obstruction in any part of the artery,’’ said Mr. Goldie, referring to the Hutt. Boad between Thorndon and Petone. “Omitting these interferences with the normal flow of traffic (and treating the Hutt Road as a free way), it is estimated that it would carry 2100 vehicles per lane per hour, based on 30 miles per hour at 1.7 second intervals. Due to interferences through the slowing down of vehicular movement at the railway sta-' tion or on Waterloo Quay, the heavy industrial development at Kaiwarra and road junctions en route, and the Petone railway crossing, I estimate that a 50 per cent, reduction is necessary, givingan actual carrying capacity of 1050 vehicles per lane per hour, with a 10 per cent, reduction due to smaller interferences, reducing the capacity to 95-1 vehicles per lane per hour. Population and Vehicles. “I have grave doubts as to whether the feeding routes both in the Hutt and Petone and in the city area could deliver on the Hutt Road 900 vehicles per lane per hour. .The combined population of ■Wellington city and the Hutt Valley may be estimated at present at from 180,000 to 190,000. The maximum future population of these two areas is estimated at 390,000, au increase of 2.3 times the present population. This increase, on the maximum lane capacity tallied on the more congested section of the Hutt Road, gives an estimate of 986 vehicles per hour per lane when Wellington city and the Hutt Valley have reached maximum development, possibly 60 to 100 years hence. Admittedly, this calculation* assumes that , there will be no material change in -the Dominion maximum vehicle population ratio of 5.2 persons per vehicle attained in 1941; and further assumes that no improvement, either physical or by regulation, is effected on the more congested section of the Hutt Road, or that an overbridge be provided at -the Petone railway crossing. “The relation between motor-cars and motor-trucks on the Hutt Road during peak hours on week days is about 5 to 1. As the Hutt Valley develops and becomes more self-contained this ratio will probably decrease and the peak period may change from 5 p.m. to mid-morning or mid-afternoon. It appears highly probable that the Hutt Road will still function as a-traffic artery when both Wellington City and the Hutt Valley are fully developed. An earthquake of catastrophic proportions affecting thia road would also affect all industry and all city services. This would automatically stop all traffic flows.” . Taking the most optimistic view of future traffic on the Hutt Road, said Mr. Forsythe, he estimated that it might reach 3.1 times the 1939 level. This_was equivalent to a daily average of 25,116 motor vehicles over a seven-day week, or an average of 23,390 daily, Monday to Friday, with a peak of 7759 vehicles for a Sunday peak period of two hours. These figures related to the Petonc-Nga-hauranga section. It w-as reasonable to assume that the Wellington-Johnsonville traffic would not increase 50 per cent, beyond the 1939 figures. The Hutt Road should carry all the traffic required. Congestion in Jackson Street (Petone) and High Street (Lower Hutt) was quite apparent now, said Mr. Forsythe in detailing the results of recent ’ tests. It would be desirable to find- alternative traffic routes. . . The chairman of the commission, Sir Francis Frazer, commented that there seemed to be common agreement that whatever decision was reached, about a harbour, the new Hutt pipe bridge wou.d have to be built in the direction of Waione Street.