ROAD LINK WITH NELSON

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22358, 23 March 1938, Page 12

ROAD LINK WITH NELSON

new highway urged ON MINISTER

MOTORISTS “TERRIFIED” BY

PRESENT ROUTE

[From Our Own Reporter.]

NELSON, March 22,

The abandonment of the proposal to spend £20,000 on the reconstruction of the Maruia Saddle road, now the main connecting link between Nelson and Canterbury via the Lewis Pass road, and the construction of a new highway up the Lower Maruia Valley by the Shenandoah road was u^ged,J?ypresentatives of many Nelson provincial bodies on the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. H. Semple) of the present route branching off from Murchison and going along the Matakitaki to the saddle was generally expressed it being stated that motorists coming over the route were so terrified that many declined to make the return tri Mr W. R. Grace, representing the Nelson Automobile Association, said that the Lower Maruia Valley provided the best route, but it was unusable for traffic because of 16 miles of narrow road. The valley was flat and open, while the Maruia Saddle terrified motorists. Nelson was greatly interested, because of its desire to encourage tourists in having good access between Canterbury and Nelson via the Lewis Pass. From December 20 to January 10, 1604 motor vehicles, traversed the Maruia Saddle and that proved the use made by tourists. All Nelson in~ terests asked that the Lower Maruia road should be completed as urgent work. Mr J. Corder, chairman of the Waimea County Council, told the Minister that motorists who travelled over the present road were afraid to return by it, and. the completion of the alternative route would be a b °‘The road has been surveyed and engineers are now at work preparing estimates of the cost of widening the proposed deviation and of reconstructing the old route,” replied Mr Semple. “Personally, I believe that the proposed deviation .is the proper thing to do, though it mightr cost more. We are not going to put up with hills and bends when we can get better grade and visibility.” The Minister added that the estimates would be submitted to the Main Highways Board, and he would then discuss the proposals with the Engineer-in-Chief. He declined to give an answer in the affirmative or negative at this stage. The present route is in a gorge, and Nelson motorists who have made the trip to Canterbury reported to the Automobile Association that a 10-mile stretch had taken them one hour to cover.