ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 82, 6 April 1923, Page 5

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

ACCESS TO WESTERN

SUBURBS

PLANS PREPARED BY ENGINEERS

VARIATION OF RAROA ROAD

SCHEME.

The City Engineer's Department has prepared for the City Council an interesting locality plan setting forth a number of alternative routes that might be followed as a means of access to the outlying western residential areas of the city. The plan was drawn up as a result of a resolution of the council following a complaint that the engineers had never been given authority to bring down a comprehensive report on the question of access. The plan was displayed by Councillor L. M'Kenzie in the course of his election address at Karori last evening, and aroused a good deal of interest amongst those present. The alternative routes were, set out plainly in different colours upon a road plan of the city and western districts. The first route shown was the present circuitous line via Molesworth street, Tinakori road, and Karori road, and the only suggested alteration was the duplication of the line from the loop at Hill street to the Karori tunnel. It was pointed out that the distance from the Duke of 'Edinburgh Hotel corner to the tunnel by this route was 253 chains, and that the grade on the steepest incline was 1 in i 5.

The second proposal involved t.he present Kelburn cable car, and a tramway along Upland road, connecting with the present Karori line, near the tunnel, by means of a new viaduct slightly north of the present traffic bridge. The tramway would, of course, be laid over perfectly flat ground, and the proposal would involve 71 chains of new work, bringing the Karori Tunnel within 135 chains of the corner of Manners and Willis streets.

._ The third alternative was the construction of a ten-chain inclined tramway on a grade of 1 in 3 to The Terrace, tfi-om The Terrace transit would be by means of an electric tramway, on a grade of 1 in 15, via M'Kenzie terrace, and a section on the Town Belt to Kelburn parade, thence by tunnel through to Raroa road to the viaduct proposed in the scheme described above. This would mean 112 chains of. new track-laying and other work, and the length of the route would be 114 chains.

Route No. 4 was practically the same as No. 3, differing only in that the construction of a tunnel was avoided by laying tram tracks via Glaejjow terrace to tap Upland road. If this were carried out 122 chains of new work would be involved, and the; distance from Manners street would be 124.chains.

A variation of the Raroa road route already adopted by the: City Council was mapped out by the City Engineer in his fifth alternative. He showed a tram line laid from' a point near the Ato ttreet torminus, making a slight detour to the south ■in order to give suitable access to Hollow ay road, thence to Raroa. road and Norway street, and by tunnel under Plunket street to the Horseshoe bend, coanectinir up with the pre sent Karori route cioae to the tunnel. The grade over this route would, be slightly'steeper than in the other proposals—l in 12;. Oniy 50 chains of new work would have to'be carried out, and the tunnel would be about 600 feet in ' length. The distance, from Willis street w&b given as. 148 chains. The last altsrnative was the simplest of the bix. Half a mile of tram tracks were proposed to be laid from the Government Buildings, through Bowen and Sydney streets to connect with the present Karori line below Anderson Park.

Mr. M'Kenzie said the plan and report had not yet been before the Tramways Committee, but he did not think he was committing a breach of etiquette in placing it on view at the meeting, as reference had already been made to it in the Pres3. As to the estimated costs of the alternative schemes, he would be prepared to confide them privately for the information of residents. who were interested. I . , ■

Dealing with the housing question of transit to Karori and district, Councillor M'Kenaiie referred to the decision in favour of Raroa road as the best means of access. The purchase of the Kelburn car, he contended, would be a mistake; the company was al present paying 7 per cent, to its shareholders, but he was doubtful whether it would produce the same profit if it was taken over by the city and improved. The company was c.oing good service to the citizens, and it should be left alone. .It'was proposed to spend £45,000 upon the purchase of that line, in addition to which the council would have to spend more money upon the construction of a viaduct. The Sydney street proposal was the cheapest, but it did not give much quicker access. He condemned the Nos. 2, 3, and 4 routes as too costly, and pointed out that the suggested route via Norway street was much less expensive than the alternative over Kelburn.

A voice complained that the route was too round-about.

The candidate, agreed that it would not suit people who were making the Parliamentary Buildings their destination, but the future growth of the district had to be considered. "Do any of these other proposals suit you tetter?" he asked.

'No, give us Norway

street."

Mr. M'Kenzie: "Would you have the Kelburn car?"

An elector: "No, it is only damaged goods." Mr. M'Kenzie said that if they did not approve of the Kelburn tram purchase, the ratepayers would have the opportunity on 26th April of defeating that proposal, and asking for a better proposition. Personally, he did not think it would be a good thing for the city to purchase the- tramway.. Anxiety, was shown by one or two of those present as to how long it would be before better access was provided for the district if the Kelburn tram purchase was negatived. Mr. M'Kenzie said that if ihe cable' car purchase was turned down JH residents could bring pressure to bear vpon the council to raise money for whichever work they preferred. He did not think it would be very long before the difficulty was solved.

"If you are elected, will you plecige yourself to do your best, to secure us a shorter route to Karori?" he was n«ked.

Councillor M'Kenzie replied tl.at he ■would endeavour to obtain some better means of access.