MODERN PAVING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 190, 13 August 1928, Page 5

MODERN PAVING.

QUEEN STREET SCHEME.

EALY START EXPECTED.

NEW BITUMINOUS SURFACE. I "Arrangements "are now being made to commence the re-paving of Queen i Street, which will be undertaken in the early spring," said the Mayor, Mr. Geo. Baildon, to-day. "In the first stage of the work a section of one-third of the street will be dealt with. A further staire will be done next year and the scheme will be completed in 1930." Mr. Baildon said that the plan was to spread the cost over a period of three years and to do the work out of the general account, an allocation of £2500 be in;: made for cach year. The paving would bo entirely renewed, as the asphalt which had served for the past twenty-five years was patched and uneven and in places was completely worn out. If the weather conditions proved satisfactory tli l* contractors should make a. start in October, continued Mr. Baildon. and the arrangements would cause a minimum of interference with traffic. The materials and the methods adopted would be similar to those applied on Grafton Bridge last year. The total area of Queen Street was 10.000 square yards, and the contract terms provided that Trinidad asphaltie concrete should be used, with a uniform thickness of two inches on the concrete foundation which had been laid down |>riar to 1902. The bitumen to be used offered a surface to traffic after a few hours, and was similar to that seen on important city thoroughfares in various parts of the world.

The paving to be layed differed somewhat from the natural rock asphalt that was put down in 1902, and was known as hot-mix. The range of materials would lie from three-quarter-inch blue metal down to binding agents which were as fine as face powder. A firm finish would be given by a tandem steel roller.