tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011655232093163642.post646649818384384191..comments2024-01-14T06:16:50.475+13:00Comments on Cities Matter: Cities in search of resiliencePhil McDermotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06869744647213369964noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011655232093163642.post-50116841733392990882011-02-07T15:34:55.123+13:002011-02-07T15:34:55.123+13:00Unfortunately, even Auckland's arterial roads ...Unfortunately, even Auckland's arterial roads are vulnerable. The remnants of Cyclone Wilma passed by the city on 23 January with the heavy rain and high tides resulting in road closures on key roads to the center - the north western motorway, the Harbour Bridge approach, and Tamaki Drive. The Herald also reported that the "king tide stretched into the lower streets of downtown Auckland. Firefighters fought to clear commercial premises, which became waterlogged as rainfall compounded the tide".<br /><br />This highlights a significant risk from overloaded servcies: "a 2004 report to the region's former seven territorial councils called for a doubling of the combined stormwater works programme of about $2 billion over 20 years" (NZ Hearld, Jan 25 2011, "Big wet leaves a trail of carnage")<br /><br />This was an intense storm, but we can expect more. It raises questions about how far we should continue to intensify development in a centre beyond its underlying design capacity, with critical infrastructure at risk and commerce vulnerable to disruption. <br />.Phil McDermotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06869744647213369964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7011655232093163642.post-60691727867357810002011-02-07T11:36:59.779+13:002011-02-07T11:36:59.779+13:00Absolutely.
And surely events in Australia should ...Absolutely.<br />And surely events in Australia should be making us ask ourselves why Britomart, the approach to the harbour bridge, and the Westmere motorway intersection, are all underground and the tunnels are below sea level?<br /><br />How will Auckklanders get to the Shore? Rail will be out of action immediately, but then rail is always first to fail.<br /><br />Katrina demonstrated that the best mode of transport to get out of town were cars and buses on elevated highways.Owen McShanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130002581563595646noreply@blogger.com