Views on plans for the second stage of the Woolston-Burwood Expressway are being sought by the Christchurch City Council.

This stage, 1.4km long and to cost $5 million, is a joint Council and Transit NZ project.

It will run from Eureka Street by the Wainoni Primary School to Birch Street by the New Brighton soccer clubrooms.

Work is expected to start in February 2002 and the road completed in the next year.

The proposal is for a two-lane road with new traffic signals on Pages Road. The roundabout at the intersection of Pages and Bexley roads will be removed.

No vehicles will be able to access the expressway from Bexley Road (both ends), Birch, Carisbrooke, Eureka and Brook streets, which will become cul-de-sacs and strengthen the residential environment.

A shared pedestrian-cycle pathway will be built the full length of the expressway as no cycles, pedestrians or horses and no parking will be allowed on the road.

No vehicles from properties adjoining the expressway will be allowed directly on to it.

This is the last planned stage for this section of Christchurch's ring-road system. When it is completed the link will run from Main North Road at St Bede's College to Dyers Road. This will help reduce large volumes of heavy vehicles travelling along residential streets and near schools. Plans for the expressway will be going to residents in the next two weeks and submissions will close with the Council on 4 December.

Copies of the plan can be obtained from the Shirley and New Brighton service centres and libraries.

Stage one of the expressway, 2km long and costing about $8.5 million, from New Brighton Road bridge to Wainoni Road, is due to open in April next year.

One section, already opened from Travis Road to New Brighton Road, cost $4 million and was named Anzac Drive.

Further information: Sharon O'Neill, project manager: 371 1665 or Barry Cook, engineer: 371 1938.

Christchurch City Council http://www.ccc.govt.nz

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