ROAD TO WHANGAREI.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 238, 7 October 1932, Page 8

ROAD TO WHANGAREI.

DOME VALLEY ROUTE. OPEN rOR TRAFFIC SOON. GOOD IN FINE' WEATHER. The Auckland Automobile Association's touring manager, who .returned last evening from an inspection of the Dome Valley route, between Auckland and Whangarei, says that providing fine weather prevails the road will be open for traffic within the next ten ■ days. The new'formation on the southern side of the Dome Hill has been practically completed, and there only remains one cutting to pierce before cars will agaiu be able to travel through the valley. The route is between Warkworth and Wellsford on the main northern highway, and will obviate the use of the long detour —an extra 18 miles —through Kaipara Flats, Tauhoa, and Port Albert. The detour is of a narrow and winding nature, and maintenance is usually rather neglected, causing uncomfortable travelling conditions, particularly to the owners of light cars.

The touring manager reports that portions of the. old road have been entirely covered with the new formation, and he considers it would be inadvisable to.allow ordinary traffic over the route at- the present time, as in two places access is only possible by clambering down the steep track on the sides of the new fillings. Portions of several of the new fillings are also rather soft, and the whole surface is extremely rough. ' Graders are to be brought into operation early next week to break down the surface in readiness for traffic. Once the road is open it will provide a food fine weather route, but should rain fall traffic will again have to detour! via Port Albert, as the clay surface of the Dome Valley route would quickly become impassable. The metalling-of the route is an allI important matter, and the engineers [E have received authority ,to proceed |l immediately to lay a strip of metal, y which it is anticipated will be completed E before the end oi 1932.