Arthur’s Pass Route Closed After Washout

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28447, 29 November 1957, Page 25

Arthur’s Pass Route Closed After Washout

to T thZ West'rT’ 8 : Pa “-Otira route Xr WaS ,„ closetl esriver\ J h ®_ Waunakariri —7 s ® . to flood level by “J 1 ?® Alps > scoured S MS ot roadway Waimakariri bridee “te on e v£? Cier Hotel ” p P f,'LJ^ <lnesday afternoon. S ork ?- which had rtable for mor ® than TL y ® ar ?’ wer ® eroded, and the nM rf ,u qiUclt ? washed out a Part of the roadway, in some NteSlrf” 1 ? 81 -° its fuU width. minor siip s feU on fords h^ S ° £ the road ’ and creek 10 52. S becam e impassable “ stiU ciosed - and open for s °me days, hulldozers and other plant ,_®5T ®ent to the Bealey area yesnjday by Ministry of Works. nSu 1 WaS expected to begin last It would take some time to re-form the road, said a Ministry ■ ,° rks Spokesman last evening. It was not yet possible to estimate when the road may be open again, he said. Lewis Pass Open The Lewis Pass road is open, and an Automobile Association (Canterbury) patrol which arrived back in Christchurch yesterday afternoon reported the road in good order. No trouble on this ruote is expected. A radio patrol of the association is standing by at •£j® y ~a nd is keeping in touch with the Christchurch headquarters. At its peak, the Waimakariri river rose by nearly nine feet at the Gorge bridge, but the peak of the flood passed the Main North road bridge late on Wednesday evening.. Yesterday, the :

river had fallen .more than two feet at the Ckrfge bridgK Flood warnings ware broadcast by the North Canterbury Catchment Board on Wednesday, but some erosion at SteSvart’s Gully, where about four chains of the bank was eaten away, was the only damage reported. Men were working on this area, the road to the Stewart's Gully Sailing Club's premises, yesterday. It is expected that there will be no further damage. The Railways Department operated its normal flood precaution inspections on Wednesday evening, the men patrolled the North line bridge over the Waimakariri at Stewart’s Gully before each trail? until the peak level had receded. A spokesman for the department said yesterday that all trains were running to schedule and that no emergencies were expected.