CITY TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20199, 8 March 1929, Page 14

CITY TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.

Sir,—The above problem is becoming more acute from clav to clay, not only because of the increase of the city's population, but in a greater ratio because of the abnormal increase of vehicular traffic. It does not require much vision to realise that the spur known as Svmonds Street, from its junction with Khyber Pass, -Mount Eden Road and Eden Terrace, incoming and outgoing, is carrying a much greater burden of traffic than is conducive tc safety, and in daily fact, is dangerous to life and limb; quite apart from the many irking stoppages that are necessary to regulate the traffic. The wellbeing and progress of all cities has always been, and still is. controlled by their means of ingress and egress. Of a later date (he trend of humanitarianism insists that the safety of their inhabitants has now become a more important factor than was the case a generation ago. The city engineer's proposal, affecting an outlet via Belgium Street, upon investigation, appears to be the only solution that will meet this urgent requirement. Its very importance must not permit the cost to bulk too largely in the solution cf a daily-recurring peril and difficulty. Citizen.

Sir,—The controversy raging round the new traffic outlet schemes is commendable in that there is a desire to give constructive and not, destructive criticism, 'lo visualise the future means that if outlets from the city are needed the reasons for same must be, sought through the growth of the area to bo served. There is no desiro to disparage the Belgium Street scheme, but I do submit that the growth of the business area toward the new railway station makes An/.ac Avenue and Svmonds Street a more natural outlot than Belgium Street, both from points of utility and grade. It is open to question whether Belgium Street is ever likely to relieve the congestion at the Grafton Bridge and Svmonds Street. 1 submit, therefore, that it is possible to visualise another roadway parallel lo Svmonds Street, taking shape at the Svmonds Street cemetery immediately below the Grafton Bridge and continuing parallel to Svmonds Street, underneath Grafton Bridge, joining Glenside C reseont, through the \\ instonc property to Khyber Pass Road, across Khyber Pass Road, through present City Council property, adjoining the new reservoir, to Now North Road. The cost of this scheme would be negligible in comparison to the need it would serve, as both eastern and western areas for many years to como would have their requirements met; in fact, a further outlet could bo found to join this road to Carlton Gore Road, thus giving at least four new outlets. I submit, further, that the suggested new outlets through the Domain and Grafton Road present grading difficulties that are not presented with the above suggested scheme. Regarding the sentimenfal difficulty of removing the gia\es in Symonds Street, especially those of the founders of the colony, the long view of the case must be taken ; ultimately the graves must be removed, just as the Redfern Cemetery in Sydney was removed to make way for the new railway station there; and if eventually such action must be taken, surely there is no time like the present. •H. P. Bubton*