SAFER ROADS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 151, 27 June 1936, Page 12

SAFER ROADS.

I WORK PROGRESSING. I | • LEVEL-CROSSING DANGER. ELIMiNAEJTG PERILS. Work now being carried out on the elimination of dangerous level crossings in the Auckland Province is helping to answer the demand for "safer roads/'" A decision on a number of works of this nature was made by the Railways Board, in conjunction with the Main Highways Board and the Unemployment Board, about 12 months ago, while recently the Minister of Transport, the Hon. R. Semple, announced his intention of concentrating on danger points on the Dominion's highways. "Within a. year the majority of the dangerous level j crossings in the Auckland Province should be things of the past," said Mr. H. W. Beasley, district railways engineer, to-day. Deviations at Hikurangi and Waihi are nearly completed. and the work at Huapai is likely to be completed by the end of the. year. In the decision of a year ago to spend about £125,000 on elimination work, the proposals included in the Auckland Province two crossings at Hikurangi, two at Hoteo, Hamlin's crossing (north of Thau), one between Waihi and Waikino, one at Te Kauwhata, one at Huapai, one at Hopuhopu (which is now the only level crossing between Auckland and Hamilton), and one at Tarukenga, near Rotorua. Approval was given last October to all these works. Motorists and other users of the roads would welcome Mr. Sample's proposals, said Mr. A. Gravscn, president of the Automobile Association (Auckland). Mr. Grayson stated that the inauguration of the Main Highways Board had seen a definite movement towards the gradual elimination of crossings, but the diversion of highways funds a few years ago and the refusal of the Railways Department to contribute its share or to accept responsibility for the work had given the proposals a setback. The association appreciated greatly the arrangement that had been made last year for the work to be restarted.