DECLARED STATE HIGHWAY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22367, 2 April 1938, Page 9

DECLARED STATE HIGHWAY

i CITY, EVANS PASS, AND I LYTTELTON ROAD S —— S IMPORTANT TRANSFER I ANNOUNCED ■The Christchurch-Evans Pass-Lyttel--1 ton road has been declared a State ' highway as from yesterday, f The following letter was received by Mr T. H. McCombs, M.P., from the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. f R. Semple) concerning the transfer of | the Christchurch-Lyttelton section oi ! the main highway from local body I control to control by the State:— “On. the .occasion of my visit to ' Christchurch on February 20, you dis r 1 cussed with me the question of classi.l- - fying the Christchurch-Lyttelton section of the main highway as a State highway. 1 intimated that the matterwould be referred to the Main Highways Board lor a recommendation in terms of the-Main Highways Amendment Act (1936), ans i have since received a report irom the board in favour of the State highways proposal’ i am pleased to be abie to imorm you that 1 have approved of the proposal and have agreed to the classification becoming effective on ‘April' 1, 1938. “Regarding the present condition of the highway, it is the board’s intention to undertake the tar-sealing of the reconstructed portions as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made.” Recently the Public Works Department completed extensive alterations i and improvements to the Lyttelton side of the road, the work occupying more than a year. Corners were widened by ’ cutting away cliff faces and by building concrete walls, and the grade of the road was improved on. the summit itself. ! When the department finished’ a few weeks ago the surface was in a rough state and the Lyttelton Borough Council was faced with the cost of sealing the road for its whole length. Application was therefore made to the Public Works Department for the department to take over the road and that the department has agreed to. Work was recently commenced on improving the road on the Sumner side of Evans Pass,