MODERN HIGHWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 262, 6 November 1939, Page 9

MODERN HIGHWAYS.

APPROACH TO WELLINGTON. OPENED BY HON". H. SKMPLE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sunday. The official opening ceremonies in connection with two of the greatest road works from the point of view of advanced highway construction in New Zealand took place yesterday. The first is the completely transformed Ngahauranga Gorge Road, giving main access to Wellington from the West Coast, and the other, the coastal road between Plimmerton and Paekakariki, cutting out the 900 ft climb over the Paekakariki Hill and shortening the West Cotust highway for some four miles. The ceremonies were performed by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. Mi*. Semple afterwards cutting the "ribbon. The work represents the most advanced road engineering job ever carried out in New Zealand or Australia. Power plant was used throughout. An enormous quantity of rock was rip|»ed out, and in place of a tortuous, narrow road with its 48 Itends a magnificent divided highway passes through the fforge on an even grade in practically two broad sweeps. The Plinnnerton Road, which was opened later, follows the railway route from Paekakariki, and is built up from the sea for several miles. The construction is not quite completed, but it is well ahead of the programme time. Tts principle fenture is the design of the sea wall to turn back heavy rollers from the west.

Associated with the Ngahauranga, Gorge Road reconstruction was. the widening, banking and dividing of the main highway -between Ngaliauranga and Petone "into one way roadways, each providing two lanes for traffic. The Ngahauranga Gorge Road provide* four 12ft lanes, two each way. Opposing traffic is serrated by * raised strip with shrubs planted along it. The total cost of the earthwork done by machinery was £85,460. By hand it would have cost £225,000.