REPLACEMENT OF BRIDGES
£3m Spent Yearly “The Press" Special Service HAMILTON, April 26. Bridge replacement cost £3 million a year, said the Minister of Works, Mr Watt, when he opened a bridge over the Waihou River at Tirohia. “And this,” he said, “means that the motorist is finding it. “At the turn of the century thousands of bridges were built and they are now at the end of their useful lives. In fact, one could say that borer and No. 8 fencing wire are contributing a lot to their substance. “However, it is just imposible for the national roading authority to replace everything at once.’’ Mr Watt said he thought New Zealand was doing very well with its roading. A total of £3O million a year was being spent and he did not think a country could ba expected to find much more for this purpose. “I am sure the people should be satisfied with the progress that is being made.” he said, “but, of course, this does not mean there should not still be objections to our not moving faster at times.” The bridge at Tirohia is the first prestressed concrete bridge with hollow piles and the first in New Zealand with the superstructure mounted on rubber. It was designed by Mr D. J. Dunning, engineer of the Ohinemuri County Council, and is 455 feet long. The piles, which are sunk 40 feet into the ground, were made in 10-foot lengths by a firm in Paeroa and assembled on the site. The bridge cost £60,000. which was described as “considerably lower in cost than usual” by the chairman of the County Council. Mr H. R. Morrison. The National Roads Board contributed £42.000, the balance being found by the Piako and Ohinemuri County Councils.
It replaces one built in 1919 for £2260 and will form an important link with the MangatarataTirau highway, which was described by the district commissioner of works in Hamilton, Mr C. J. W. Parsons, as the coming Wellington-Auckland route.
A new Chicago motorway was designed with an extra curve in order to preserve an ancient pine tree.
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Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29189, 27 April 1960, Page 13
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351REPLACEMENT OF BRIDGES Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29189, 27 April 1960, Page 13
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