CITY OUTLET

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24793, 17 January 1944, Page 2

CITY OUTLET

EOAD TO THE NORTH SURVEY OF SHORTER ROUTE Surveys of a shorter, more direct road to Helensville and other centres northwest of the city are being made by the Works Department. This was confirmed on Saturday by officials of the department, who emphasised that nothing more was being done at present than to collect preliminary data. _ A general route under consideration is one which would reduce the_ road distance to Helensville by about six and a-half miles. This would leave the Great North Road beyond the Point Chevalier turn-off and cut across the southern reaches of the Waitemata Harbour, including the Whau Estuary, .rejoining the present road in the neighbourhood of Kurneu. ■ An advantage of this route would be the elimination of the long loop made by the present main road in running from Avondale through New Lynn to Henderson. The route would also be over lower, flatter country, and would have fewer bends and turns, lhe construction of causeways across tidal areas would, however, be a feature of the work. , An incidental result of shortening the main road would be to reduce considerably the distance from the city to the Whenuapai air station. Should this area be used for civil aviation purposes after i the war, the advantage or quick, direct access to the city is obvious A shorter route to the Helensville district has been envisaged by Works Department engineers for a number or years, but even if the present surveys are approved there is little likelihood of operations starting before the end of the war. The effect of the present preliminary investigation will be, however, that the department will have made preparations for a substantial rehabilitation project, should it be deemed necessary. It was estimated on Saturday that construction of the road might provide employment for a large number of men over two years. Many years ago the Railway Department surveyed a similar route to the one mentioned. While extensive alterations and improvements since made to the existing line suggest that it is now unlikely that.the railway route will be changed, the present surveys are being made along a course that will conflict as little as possible with the 'projected railway route.