POTTS RIVER BRIDGE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 246, 25 July 1940, Page 4

POTTS RIVER BRIDGE.

WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

TOTAL COST OF ABOUT £3OOO. Built at a cost of approximately £3OOO, the 475 feet long bridge ever the Potts River will give access to settlers irv the Erewhon and Mount Potts stations and will eliminate! many troubles which have up to now been encountered in bringing out wool and sheep and in taking in supplies of one kind and another. The work has been completed by the contractor (Air L. W. Lawrence, of Sheffield) and all that remains to bo done is the painting of the handrails, and this, because of the severity of the winter climate in that locality* will bo. carried out. in the spring. The bridpre has been urgently needed and representations have been made hv the settlers and the Ashburton. County Council to the Public Works Department for many years to have something done.. Twenty-seven miles from Mount Somers, the bridge crosses a wild mountain stream filled with large boulders that shift easily under the impact of heavy and sudden floods that scour out deep channels in the wide bed of the stream. Negotiation of the. bed has caused endless worries to drivers of vehicles and it is stated that it lias taken upwards of tin hour to get a lorry across the river on occasions. Normally, there is not- a great denth of water, but thei trouble with the crossing has been the liability of the river to sudden risings that have cut off the settlers for long periods: The bridge is of the light traffic type a.rjd is nine feet , wide at thei wheel guards, while the splayed handrails give an opening of 12 feet at the top. The main, structure is built of hardwood throughout, the handrails being of New Zealand timber. There are 19 spans, each 25 feet long, with two piles to each pier, while the construction employs four hardwood stringers. At present the water is flowing under only two of the spans, but there will be times when the whole of the riverbed will be under deep water.