Haast Road Has Two Miles To Go

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30531, 28 August 1964, Page 3

Haast Road Has Two Miles To Go

(New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, August 27. Only a two-mile gap remains between the two ends of the Haast road—the road which, by Christmas of next year, will provide a round-the-South Island tourist route.

The Ministry of Works, in the south, has cleared bush and overburden to within 30 chains of its target, while the contractors’ forces, working from the north, have about a mile and a half to go to the point where the two gangs hope to meet. Recent progress has been

satisfactory in spite of bad weather in the last two months. In July, 13in of rain feel at Haast, while the rainfall at the road’s end—Seal point—was probably a great deal higher. The main emphasis of the work from the southern end of the road is on earthworks, although a bridge gang is also working. From Haast through to Seal point,; most of the bridges are easily negotiable by at least Ministry of Works traffic, Haast bridge is complete; so is the bridge over the Waita river. At Ship creek, the Bailey bridge is being replaced by a permanent structure, a Bailey bridge is in position over Buller creek, and the Bailey bridge over Grants creek will be open to traffic soon (Ministry of Works vehicles are already using this bridge). Construction is now going on 12$ miles from the Haast bridge. The road has left swamp country behind and is now being pushed through rugged, steep country, still following the coast but due to swing inland soon. The road is scheduled to be completed by the end of next March. At the present rate of progress it seems likely this target date will be met, with the first major influx of tourists expected in the next summer.