TRAMS TO NORTHLAND

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 81, 3 October 1923, Page 6

TRAMS TO NORTHLAND

A SUGGESTED TRAFFIC TUNNEL

Very good progress is being made with the work of driving the tramway extension on to Northland said the Mayor, Mr.-.R. A. Wright, to a "Post"' reporter this morning, and while the-actual tunneling work through the hill from Earoa road—on the.Karori side of the present tunnel—has not yet been commenced, the work is - getting well towards that stage, levelling being the chief business in hand at the. moment.

The present plans, added Mr. Wright, provide for a tramway tunnel only, but the question has been raised as to whether provision should not be made for vehicular traffic as well in view of the facts that that class of traffic must grow rarftdly in the Northland, district as in all other parts of the city, and that the traffic road up from Karori road, branching off at the city side of the tunnel, presents heavy grades on an awkward winding: route. The .driving of a_ -tunnel so widened would probably require the expenditure of another £3000 .0r.,. £4000, but«>if. the work .could be [ financed it would. iio doubt be (he. pru: dent thing to *do' to provide ' for- all classes of traffic. The additional money would, e of course, hot be a charge upon the Tramway Department for that department primarily wanted room for its car. services and'would not be willing to find £he'extra money for a vehicular tunnel.

Mr. Wright also mentional that some years ago a promise had been made by the council: that better access would be given to Thorby street and that in order to help the council out in the work the residents had given a certain amount of land for the making of c, better approach than, exists at present, arid he hoped that now that work, was' being carried out in the near vicinity it would be found possible to fulfil the long-stand inz promise. /The tunnel to be driven through to Northland, by th© way, will be 225 feet in length, the present Karori tunnel being 250 feet, and the Seatoun tunnel.'47o' feet in length. . . ..; .