Decision looms on third lane for motorway

A decision on whether Christchurch’s northern motorway will get a third lane could be made as soon as Friday.

The Urban Development Strategy Implementation Committee (UDSIC) will vote on whether to tack on another southbound lane to the motorway going across the Waimakariri Bridge.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has recommended the committee approve the $20 million job because of growing congestion at the Tram Rd on-ramp. It said the issue would have to be addressed within the next five years.

Papanui-Innes Community Board chairwoman Ali Jones said the board was unanimously opposed to the idea, which was fraught with problems. ‘‘We’re concerned about what’s going to happen to the volume of traffic after the bridge. It’s all good assisting the traffic over the bridge, but what happens after it goes off the motorway?

‘‘We were disappointed we found out about it in the media. Our big concern is that there has been a huge amount of traffic modelling going on with the council. This throws that modelling up in the air.’’

An NZTA report said the number of trips at that part of the northern motorway route was projected to increase by 25 per cent by 2025 and by 50 per cent in 2041.

The report confirmed a third lane could increase traffic in the area in the long term as more people took advantage of the extra capacity, but said that could be managed further down the track.

NZTA told UDSIC it could save $14 million by adding a third lane now, because it was already working on the Northern Arterial Project (linking the northern motorway with Cranford St) which would save the cost of starting a new project entirely.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel said the city council would support a third southbound lane if it was for high-occupancy vehicles and public transport only.

NZTA regional relations director Jim Harland said central government would pay for work on the motorway, but some extras might be funded by local councils.

‘‘Some of the measures to address travel options between Waimakariri District and Christchurch City will require financial support from the UDS partners, as is currently the case.’’

Jones said high occupancy lanes would not address the problem and other options had not been considered, such as a $1.8m proposal for a light rail service. She said NZTA needed to think about long-term solutions instead of quick fixes.

‘‘It would hugely reduce that amount of commuter traffic going into town. We’re going to end up where Auckland is now, so let’s just bite the bullet.’’

Harland said NZTA was not closed to the idea of light rail at some point in the future.

‘‘Public transport options will be investigated further by the Greater Christchurch Public Transport Joint Committee as part of the future public transport strategy.’’