SELWYN BRIDGE

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31412, 4 July 1967, Page 14

SELWYN BRIDGE

New Method Of Widening

The proposed widening of the Selwyn river bridge on the Main South road—from 18ft to 24ft—will be done by using laminated timber, the first time such a method has been considered on such a large scale. Laminated timbering has already been used for the redecking of three one-lane bridges in the Selwyn district. The proposed widening of the Selwyn bridge, for which £56,000 has been estimated, will come before the halfyearly meeting of the No. 14 District Roads Council in September. If it views the project favourably, the Ministry of Works will be in a position to begin immediately. Three Advantages The use of laminated timbering to redeck and widen the bridge had three advantages, said the district highways engineer of the Ministry of Works (Mr J. G. Sullivan) yesterday.

It would enable quick reconstruction of the bridge, vital on such a busy highway as the Main South road. It would enable the present sub-structure of the bridge to be used, without strengthening. It would make use of local material. Although he doubted whether there had been accidents actually on the bridge, it was regarded as “potentially very dangerous,” Mr Sullivan said.

Minor alterations to the bridge had been considered, he said, but with the possibility of major widening no decision about these bad been made.