CROSSING AT LEVIN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 147, 21 May 1930, Page 4

CROSSING AT LEVIN.

MOVE FOR ELIMINATION. An important proposal was put forward in a report received by the Levin Borough Council from the Public Works Department’s district engineer, Mr R. H. P. Ron-ayne, in reference to the railway crossing in Queen Street East, where much northbound road traffic passes to and from No. 60 Highway, the route to Palmerston North via Shannon. The Highways Board and the Railway Department, as stated in correspondence to the Horowlienua County Council and other local bodies, have reached an agreement on a policy for the improvement of dangerous crossings. In considering the Queen Street crossing, the district engineer suggests its elimination by means of an, overbridge or a subway, but at the same time draws attention to various difficulties confronting tho latter measure, and he outlines proposed minor improvements. The result of the council’s deliberations was a resolution to confer with the engineer on the ground. The report states that this is a square crossing about sixty chains north of Levin station, and at the back of tho Post Office, and situated in the ttisine's area of the borough. The railway line is on a level grade, but both road approaches ramp up fairly steeply to the rail level. These road grades cannot be appreciably improved without seriously affecting the street camber. There are no compulsory stop signs, but one electric

warning bell is installed at the north end of the crossing and a “wigwag’’ signal and bell at the south .end. Train traffic is heavy and fairly fast travelling, and road traffic is also heavy as the road carries considerable local as well as main road traffic. Queen Street is one and a-half chains wide. Visibility is very bad both ways and steep road approaches also militate against safety. A garage on the south-east comer of the crossing badly obscures the view looking soutlr, but land would probably have to be taken if this building was removed. Owing to the presence of business premises, considerable compensation would be entailed in the elimination of this crossing by an overbridge or subway. A subway appears to be the better proposal, but the borough overseer states that there is an underground flow of water at the crossing which would probably interfere with satisfactory drainage for the subway. A survey should be put in hand to investigate these proposals, as the present crossing is considered very dangerous. It is also recommended that another signal be substituted for the present “wigwag” signal. Minor improvements can be made by removing the 6ft wooden fence on the Queen Street frontage of the Post Office and replacing same by an open mesh fence, also by cutting down trees and creep-, ers on tho railway reserve about one chain south of tho crossing. Cabbage trees at the back of the Post Office property .also obscure the view, but the Levin Borough Council proposes to run a 16ft right-of-way south along the railway reserve, commencing at the crossing, and these trees would be removed when this is done. The Mayor (Mr C. Blenkhorn) said he thought that the council should keep tho matter in view and have further correspondence with tho Railway Department about it. They could point out that they had not in the borough any absolutely safe way of crossing the railway line. They had not a single overhead bridge or subway, and he thought that they should have. It was resolved, on the Mayor’s motion, that the district engineer ho communicated with asking him to confer with tho council at the crossing.—. i Chronicle.