Low Priority To Costly Sections Of Coast Roads

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30269, 23 October 1963, Page 18

Low Priority To Costly Sections Of Coast Roads

With its long lengths of unsealed highways and adverse weather conditions, the No. 12 district (West Coast) would do well to hold its maintenance expenditure at the steady level planned. Extension of seal on State Highways 6 and 7 is the main work to be continued in the district, with plans to spend £491,000 over the period. The problem on State Highway 6 is to obtain the most benefit for the motorist from the money expended. The cost of sealing the level sections, including additional metal where necessary, is estimated to average £2500 per mile, while the cost of reconstruction to even moderate alignment standards on the more difficult and mountainous sections ranges from £25,000 to £75,000 per mile. In a report to the No. 12 District Roads Council the resident engineer at Greymouth strongly recommended that an “as is” policy be adopted of sealing the level and less costly sections and leaving the hilly sections until the last. Although this will give an intermittent seal, the advan-

tages outweigh the practice of trying to provide a continuous ribbon.

The three-year programme submitted for State Highway 6 is based on this policy, with the exception of the continuation of the major improvements, to the Weheka Hills. £50,000 is planned in the period on this major work. Two new works in the plans for State Highway 7 to start in 1965-66 is a threemile section from Dawsons bridge to Maruia Hostel and £14,000 for the gap in the seal between Reefton and Springs Junction. Sealing on State Highway 67 is to be continued north from Granite Creek, £7OOO each year being allowed.

£400,000 is planned to be spent on the Paringa-Haast Pass section of State Highway 6. The target date for the completion of this work is November, 1965, but this is subject to there being a good construction season in the interim.

No. 12 district has the second highest number of bridge replacements; 34 bridges totalling 4540 ft are planned, although expenditure ' at £310,000 is not as high’ as some other areas. The Waitangi and Whataroa bridges at £lOO,OOO and £BO,OOO respectively are the major structures.