HAMILTON TRAFFIC.

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14583, 4 February 1921, Page 7

HAMILTON TRAFFIC.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Now that Hamilton has a general post office and a branch post oltlce at the northern end of the town, and has, we can presume, become someliung more Ulan a ‘•uaekidocas - ’ township, it is about time Unit the menace to public life, and vehicular tralllc in the existing level crossings of the railway (over this and the ojher side of the river) were done away with, and a tralllc bridge created to remove the congestion uu the existing and wholly Inadequate tralllc bridge. W hen all these dangers and inconveniences can be removed, and adequate provision made for our increasing traffic for the next 15 or 20 years to come; at such a comparatively small encumbrance (which I will prove presently.) it is a marvel that it has not been clone ere this. The excuse ol shortness of funds, as was put forward at the suggestion to widen London street - (which t llnd is about to have added to it one or two more buildings) cannot apply to I lie bridge, as it will largely discharge its own cost in this way. With the present system of working, (he Railway Department keep an ufllcer on duly at Victoria street crossing, cost £175 per annum approximately; the Council at busy times keep an official at the southern bridge at a cost of, say, £IOO per annum. '1 hese two items capitalised, represent respectively, £3500 and £2ooo—total £5500. What 1 am about to suggest would render the two officials unnecessary. 1 suggest that the present railway bridge lie widened sufficiently to permit a double line of rails, by supplementing the double pair of existing piers on the western side of the bridge, by adding another set of two piers to each existing pair, and adding a suflieicnt width to the abutments on each side of the river; the level of Hie railway crossing on lop of Hie two sets of new piers to he determined so as I" allow the necessary head room for a tunnel under Hie roadway in Victoria street, and also under the roadway as existing at Hie ramp on the other side of the river; the present level of the existing bridge to be widened by extending it over (lie new addition, making a good wide road for vehicular tralllc, and a footpath on each side’ of Hie road, thereby leaving the crossing at each end of Hie bridge free ,and clear of the danger incidental io level railway crossings, which exists now on both sides of the river. The linaneinl aspect is made a comparatively small matter by the saving afore-mentioned, therefore, to lei the Railway Department and Council capitalise Moor savings. Hie balance lo lie obtained by additional advances from Hie Haiway Department, and i Council, and to show that the bim.ness people of the town are alive to their own convenience and interest hd them set Hie scheme going by subtji ribing liberally to a fund for the proposal. Let each one give a guarantee to subscribe a certain amount when the bridge is undertaken. So that it cannot be said Hiat 1 am asking others to do what 1 am riot willing to do myself. I guarantee lo give £SO to the project.—l am, etc., GEO. BOD LEY. Hamilton.