Letters to the editor: The real problem with the Dublin St Bridge

The Dublin St Bridge is often congested in rush hour traffic. Photo / Bevan Conley

An article in the Whanganui Chronicle on May 11 stated that the Dublin St Bridge should be replaced to improve the traffic flow.

I am a retired local body engineer with 47 years of experience with the Whanganui District Council and Opus.

The problem is not the bridge but the intersections at either end. If the intersections are improved then the two lanes of traffic is adequate ...

When I was manager of PES, the engineering business unit of the council, we had 10 different solutions in the drawer mostly for the Somme Pde intersection.

These were presented to the council but not proceeded with, mostly because of cost.

The problem is the traffic travelling in both directions on Somme Pde which does not need to interact with bridge traffic.

One solution was to lift one or two of the steel spans on the Whanganui East side, roll them across the bridge and use them to allow the straight through traffic on the parade to flow underneath.

These are currently over land and could be replaced with earth embankment.

Some will say it's not possible but the steel railway bridge was built on top of the timber structure then lowered into position.

Alternatively a separate structure could be built to achieve the same thing in separating the traffic and reducing conflict.

Many years ago when old houses occupied the site where the motel is now the then council lost the opportunity to buy this land and expand the intersection.

The solution will need some land take to get a much larger roundabout [but] this will need to happen anyway with a new bridge.

A complicated linked traffic signal system could be installed. This will not improve overall traffic flow but does give everyone a fair go.

JIM ENNIS BE(Civil) FIPENZ
Whanganui

Think long-term on velodrome

I hope the powers that be making the decision on the velodrome think long and hard as to how they vote.

Please do not think about the next few months, think long-term about the asset and what it will bring to Whanganui and the surrounding district.

I support the multi-use velodrome. To me it is about future proofing - having another drawcard to bring people to our beautiful city.

We need to be progressive, not take shortcuts.

Another hardworking committee some years ago raised funds and with the help of the council and others we received the Splash Centre.

Much to the disappointment of this group we took the cheap option and did not build the Olympic size pool required for official competition. Please do not make the same mistake again.

CHRIS JONES
Whanganui

We're all equal

I read with interest D Partner's letter of May 11 and agree with his sentiments.

My maternal great-grandmother arrived with her parents in New Zealand on the sailing ship Edwin Fox in 1858 from County Cork Ireland. They didn't come as landed gentry or well-off middle class whites but simply people who wished to gain a better life through hard work and respect for their fellow humans.

As one of their descendants I have endeavoured to emulate this attitude. Treat everyone, irrespective of race or colour, as equals.

We have all made mistakes in the past - we should acknowledge these and move on. Dwelling unceasingly on what happened in the past and pointing fingers does no good.

As the old song says, "Let bygones be bygones" and live in the present, supporting and helping each other equally.

DOUG PRICE
Whanganui