NEW HUTT BRIDGE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 50, 22 November 1928, Page 10

NEW HUTT BRIDGE

READY BY END OF

JANUARY

WHAT OF THE OLD STRUCTURE? Now...that the new concrete traffic bridge at Lower Hutt has been erected and the heavy work of forming the approaches is well under way, increased interest' in the structure is being manifested both locally and by visitors from the city,- and it is easy to grasp the enormous potentialities of the bridge in-’-its bearing on the future of the borough. The approach on the western side is 1 the focal point of four streets— Railway Avenue, Victoria Street, Tama Street, and the main Hutt Road—and the line.of its construction is such that it eliminates all sharp turns, though the grade of the approach will be greater than it is to the old bridge. On the eastern side a new 6Gft. road is being formed through paddock land to Woburn Road, whilst there will be another approach from the Hutt township along the riverside, which should satisfactorily divide the traffic. There is a footpath' on both sides of the bridge, and the: traffic way between kerbs is a clear space of 32 feet. The work of forming the approaches has been rather heavy on account of the big filling required on the western side. This is being made with gravel scooped up from the bed of the river northward of the bridge. Wire rope whips actuate a sharp-edged iron scoop, which drags up a couple of yards of clean gravel at a time, hoists it to the top of a small mountain of gravel on the eastern side, or drops it through a chute into waiting lorries. In order to widen the approach on the western side, the corner section on the Hutt Road (opposite the hotel) has been acquired, and most of it will be converted into road space. Before the bridge is opened, its concrete floor will, be given a cushion of bituminous hot-mix, and in time the approaches will be sealed. This latter job cannot be undertaken yet, as the approaches will take some months to consolidate . properly. There is also road work still to be done on the Woburn side.

Taking the present rate of progress as a guide, the Mayor (Mr. W. T. Strand) expressed the opinion . yesterday that the new bridge-would-most likely be available for traffic about the end of January. This is not the first bridge that has been erected on the present site. An old pioneer settler of the Hutt (Mr. Judd) informed ■ a “Dominion” reporter yesterday that a wooden traffic bridge spanned "the river at almost identically the same spot 62 years ago, but in his recollection of the line of the bridge, looking westward, veered a little more toward Tama Street than does the new structure. As •a- young man he could remember stock being driven over the’ old bridge mentioned, but could not say how long it had been in existence prior to that time. Mr. Judd also remembers the wooden bridge which crossed the river a little above the existing Hutt Bridge, the piles of which can still be seen cut off a few feet above the river mud. That bridge was opened 57 years ago and probably displaced the one of the previous generation referred to. With the new bridge practically completed the. question naturally arises—what is to become of the present Hutt Bridge? ' Opinion appears to be divided as to whether it should be maintained as an alternative traffic way or demolished; ■ An examination of the bridge has shown that some of its timbers are not' hardwood, and these are by no means as well preserved as could be’ wished, so 7 that if-the bridge is to be .retained it will call for some heavy expenditure in maintenance during the next few years: , This does pot mean that’ much of the' material of which it is constructed -is not still serviceable. The Mayor stated yesterday that the fate of the bridge had yet to be decided by the Borough Council. He could only express a personal opinion. That was to tliq effect that.the Hutt Bridge should be dismantled, the material carefully examined and picked over, and then reerected nt-Mellings; "where there was only a foot-bridge at present. In that connection he .advocated the straightening of the course of the river at Mellings by making a north and south cut through the elbow of land at that, point whwh makes such a “kink” in the river, The growth of settlement in the Hutt. Volley generally would demand a traffic. bridge at Mellings sooner or later, he said, find the're-erected Hutt Bridge would , serve for at least another twenty years. Meltings Bridge could then be dismantled and re-erected at Belmont, and so bring the two sides of the district into more convenient, contact.