MAIN HIGHWAYS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 139, 8 March 1929, Page 7

MAIN HIGHWAYS

MANAWATU GORGE BRIDGE TO BE REPAIRED BOARD TO VISIT TARANAKI AND KING COUNTRY The Main Highways Board held its monthly meeting at Wellington last week, Mr. F. W. Furkert; C.M.G., presiding: An official report has just been issued.. The applicatiori of the Auckland Harbour 1 Bridge Association for a subsidy on the proposed Auckland Harbour bridge, and also financial assistance m connection with the preliminary investigations, was declined by the board. It was reported to the the toll bridge in the Manawatu Gorge was in a very bad state of repair. Immediate steps are to be taken to have the necessarv repairs put in hand. The condition of the bridge is such that both the speed and weight of vehicles, must be limited, and a caretaker is being immediately placed on the bridge for the regulation of traffic The board will shortly call tenders for paving a further four miles of the main, highway south of Dunedin. At the present time a paving contract is in hand on a length of four miles from Green Island southwards, and the further contract will join up with this length. An agreement having been reached be-

tween the Masterton County Council and the Masterton Borough Council in respect of contributions towards the cost of the reconstruction of the Ruamahunga River bridge at Te Ore Ore, the board has decided to recommend the Minister of Public Works to apply the provision of the Public Works Act to this bridge, so that the local authorities can now take step? to obtain the necessary finance for the work. The board’s subsidy is on the basis of £2 for £1 up to an expenditure of £lO,OOO, and £3 for £1 on amounts in excess of this. . . ' Tenders for reconstruction of the Christchurch-Blenheim main highway between Kaiapoi and Woodend were considered, and will be dealt with on receipt of the Rangiora County Council s concurixpce in the tender recommended by the board. The board proposes to have a survey made of the main highway over Hindis Pass, between Omarama and a point about seven miles south of the Summit, with a view to relocation of this main highway. ... , x f The board will make a tour of the Taranaki and King Country districts, commencing on April 5. Progress During January. The following are the more important construction works carried out in Wellington and adjacent districts curing January— . „ Gisborne-Whakatane, via Motu.—Dpo-tiki-Mukuhou: 300 cubic yards of metal have been earted and spread. The approaches to the bridge on the Kukumoa swamp have been improved. Whakatane-Rotorua. — Rotoma-Koto-rua: Between 15 and 17 miles 1442 cubic yards have been excavated, cutting off bend, and clearing slips. Between 22 and 23 miles of the sandy flat have been raised and pumiced. whoto4 . ona Whakatane-Tauranga. — Whakatane-

Matata: The approaches to the Rangitaiki River bridge at Thorndon have been fenced and widened. Platt’s bridges: Concreting and widening have been completed. Rotorua-Napier. — Rotorua-Waiotapu-Napier: 1114 cubic yards of pumice have been carted and spread, and the road graded. A start has been made easing sharp bends near the four-mile peg. Between Wajptapu and Taupo 750 cubic yards of pumice have been carted and spread, and 51 chains of road treated with asphaltic oil near the 33-mile peg. Hamilton-Rotorua (No. 3 Highway District).—Steel’s Mill-Rotorua: 222 cubic yards of filling at Dansey Road have been completed, and 1180 cubic yards of crushed metal laid. Gisborne-Opotiki, via the Coast. —Cook County section: A start has been made with three miles of bituminous penetration work, half a mile being completed at the Wainui end. Maraehara Bridge.; Pile shoes have been delivered, and pile-making is proceeding. Maraehara Hill: Between 101 M. and 102.5 M. bottom, and top course metalling have been finished. Between 100 and 101 miles of the bottom course is completed, and 32 chains of the top course. Ro to-kautuku-Tikitiki: 130 chains bottom course metalling have been completed. Mangaoporo Bridge: Construction of piles is in progress. Mangahauini Bridge- No. 1: All piles have been driven, and steel work in northern shore pier placed for concrete. Filling of embankments is proceeding. Mangahauini Bridge No, 2: All piles have been constructed. Gisborne-Opotiki, via Motu.- —Cook County section: Three miles of bituminous penetration work have been completed. Otoko-Matawai: Filling at Hutchinson's culvert has been widened, and spawls laid. Foundation, course of spawls between 37 and 39 miles have been

completed, and the top course has been commenced. Ngahapa-Rere: Continct for the first one mile and a halt or top course metalling is two-thirds complete. A contract has been let for a further two miles and a half of top course, lombleson’s Deviation: A length of one mile ana a quarter of formation has been completed. Gisborne-Wairoa, via Morere: A commencement has been made with the deviaat Muriwai. Gisborne-Wairoa, via Hangaroa: Bituminous penetration work has been completed over the length from 6.7 M. to <.2 M„ and a further 117 chains is in hand. Metalling of 40 chains has been completed, and a start made with the formation contracts on McGregor's and Moore s HUL The deviation at the Mangatara Bridge has been completed. . , - Napier-Gisborne, via Vfyroa (No. o Highway District).—Lake bide Deviation : 83 cubic yards of rock apd 2_o yards of earth have been deposed. 1 oyTver’s culvert :• This culvert ,fs rcodiplete. Waikare Gorge:. Improvements at the north end are* in hand and 600 cubic yards of material have beon shitted. King’s Creek Bridge: This structure is in hand. . , „ , , Petane-Taupo.—Esk-Titiokura Saddle. Dillon’s Hill Bridge is completed and approaches are now being constructed. Napier-Wellington, via Wairarapa. Hawke’s Bay County section : Good in ogress is being made with the P nn ?’” coat of road oil on the Paki Paln-Te Ante section. Waipnwa County section. Good progress is being made with bituminous sealing work on this section. Dannevirke County section: 3 miles io chains, of second coat sealing have .been completed. Woodville County section. 210 chains of second coat sealing nave been completed between No. 2 ur l?F. railway crossing and Matahiwi. JPiri overhead bridge: Filling and metalline of approaches are completed. Woodville-Greatford. via Feildwg and Ashhurst.—Woodville Borough : 26 chains of first coat sealing have been completed. Farndon-Hastings: The concrete road contract is progressing satisfactory. chains having been completed during tne m °Kawhia to Auckland-Wellington via Kawa— Ngutanui section: A fresh con tract has been let for $, S section and is proceeding satisfactproTe Kuiti-Bulls, via Taumarunui. « mile to Kaitangaweka: Re^ or q^ n A n i n s this section is in hand and 80 chains have been completed. Aramatai dev tinn • Work has been commenced and ,w chainsof formation 20ft-Jn vudth have been completed. Kura Km a dev lation The bottom course of metal mi this viation has been completed. Mapiu: The work of installing tion ha* commenced. Hiwi R ° ad 1 \ tion • 40 chains of metalling haie necii completed and two 60 temporary bridges erected. Ongnrue-Taiimarnnm . Widen ing from Okahukura northwards is in progress and two minor devotions me in hand. Taumnrunui-Raurimu-Wa de. landing junction: 2 chains of have been completed. Rn T' m, ' T .TA™nito boundary: Formation on the Horopito deviation has been completed for I mile 35 chains. A concrete culvert has been constructed. _ Ruarimu-Wades Landing—l 7 chnin , of formation has been completed, and tenders have been called for met:illin„ o miles of this highway. . .Stratford - Taumarunui. — Saddle to county boundary: The metalling contract has been commenced. loki-rima-County Boundary: Widening ad formation has been continued, -9 chains having been completed during the month. Te Maire-Mangauhutu :. —TV idemng of formation andanetalling in progress, 411 chains formation, and 80 chains of metalling having been completed. . National Park-Taupo.—l2 chains of widening, regrading, and formation comP1 Hangatiki-Waitomo Caves.--The contract for the reconditioning of this road is in progress. . Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki.— (No 7 Highway district). MahoenuiMokau: A length of 20 chains has received the second coat of bitumen; 43 chains have been widened, and regraded. MokauPukearuhe Junction: 20 chains of road have been banked, 428 chains of roaa scarified and reshaped, and 240 cubic yards of new metal added; 25 chains received the second coat of bitumen, and 20 chains a first coat. Uriti bridge, the temporary bridge and approaches have been completed. Clifton County section: 90 chains of bituminous macadam surfacing have been completed during the month. Waiau deviation: The earthwork is practically complete, and metalling is under way. Taranaki County section: The metalling, penetrating, and sealing of two miles south of Lepperton has been practically completed. Lepperton Junction-Hawera, via Opunake: Timaru deviation : The earthwork of the deviation south of the Timaru Stream has been completed, Kaitakara bridge: All foundations have been concreted, and the concreting of piers and abutments is nearly completed. Egmont County section : 149 chains of bituminous macadam south of Opunake have been given a sealing coat, 48 chains have been grouted with bitumen, and 50 chains sealed south of Opunake. Rautini Stream bridge: The deck has been concreted, and the erection of parapet walls is in hand. Mangahume Stream bridge: Both abutments are now concreted up to the level of beams. New Plymouth-Kaimata.—Taranaki County Section.: On the first mile south of New Plymouth, the widened and banked portions have been metalled second mile regrading and banking is in hand. Inglewood County: The bituminous penetration course between Inglewood and Maunganui Stream has been practically completed. r Beaconsfield Road. —Stratford County section: A coat of road oil has been applied over a length of 2 miles. Ohura Road. —One chain of formation and regrading has been completed, and 100 chains have been, metalled with first course. . , . Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki, No. 8 Highway District).—Wanganui County section: The contract for the, bituminous surface between 5 and 6 miles is in progress. . Wanganui-Horopito. —20 chains of widening have been completed,, and the erection of the crushing plant is in progress ; 50 chains hae been topdressed wijli grit. A contract has been let for metalling the unsurfaced gaps between 48 and 51 miles, and the work has been commenced. Raetihi-Horopito. The concrete bridge over the Makara Stream is well under way, nnd the abutments are nearly completed. . T Te Kuiti-Bulls, via Taumarunui. (No. 8 Highway District). —Waiouru-Kanoi: 45 chains of metalling has been completed. Progress is being deviation between 7 and 74 miles, -060 cubic yards having been excavated. Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki, (No 9 Highway District). —Johnson-ville'-Tawa Flat: One mile 52 chains of bituminous concrete paving have been laid. Tawa Flat-Porirua: A ... bridge has been completeci with the ex cention of one parapet. Paremata Horokiwi Valley: 168 yards of metal have been spread and rolled, 665 cubic yards of metal have been spread and rolled on the Pahautanui deviation; 56 chains have received a first sealing coat, and a tui ther 49 chains is prepared for Horokiwi Valley-Paekakariki: I urtlier preparatory work is in hand f ° r ” e . a, The Wnvtnn Borough boundary-Sanson. the FoxtomHhnitaw section was commenced eaily m r month" One and a half miles of have been built on the western side and about 30 chains of filling and foundation metal completed. Levin-Palmerston North, via Shannon. —Levin County Boundary: The con struction of a bituminous macadam sui, face from Levin borough boundaiy Arapaepae Road (40. chaws) was com pleted at the beginning of the mont The construction of a bituminous suitace from Shannon to Makerua bas been^ com menced, approximately li miles hav g been completed. Kairanga County bee tion: At Lynch’s bridge a temporary bridge has been erected and apW°ach road formed. The rolled steel joists foi the new bridge are on the ground. Foxton-Shnnnon. —Manawatu RiverShannon Borough : 45 chains have rccened a wearing surface of crushed metai. Two small bridges were surfaced Witn penetration macadam. Shannon Borougn Section: The new deviation has been surfaced with crushed metal.

Himitangi-Ashhurst, via Palmerston North. —Rangiotu Bridge-County Boundary : A contract has been let for surfacing on Foxton Line with bituminous concrete. Approximately 160 chains of foundation w.>rk was completed during the jnontK A wannni BxidgQi. A contract

been let' for the construction of this bridge, which was started at tjie beginning of the month. All the concrete piles have been cast. Sanson-PalmerstonNorth —Sansou-Awa-huri: A contract has been let for surracing three miles 67 chains with bituminous concrete. Awahuri-Palmerstou North Borough Boundary: A contract has been let for surfacing this section with bituminous concrete, and a commencement has been made. Kimbolton-Apiti.—Oroua River BridgeApiti: A contract has been let for making the deviation near Apiti, 'and the work was half completed at the end of the month. Wellington-Napier via Wairarapa (No. 9 Highway District). —Taita Gorge-Sil-verstream Bridge: 1-J chains of widening have been completed, and a further three chains is in progress. Akatarawa Junc-tion-Summit, Rimutaka: The erection of the Mungaroa Creek bridge is under way. All piles have been driven and abutments and wing walls erected. The approach on the Wellington side is being widened to 24ft. Several bad corners on the Mungaroa Hill have been widened and fenced. Taonui-Raumai.—Walker’s Bridge: Tenders have been called for constructing this bridge. A. temporary bridge has been erected and road approaches formed. Napier-Wellington, via Wairarapa (No. 10 Highway District). —Rimutaka Summit-Featherston Borough: Between Clark’s and the Midland Hotel widening to 24ft. is nearly completed, and work is in progress further up the hill. Up to date a total length of 24 miles on the Featherston side of the hill has been sealed with bitumen. Featherston BoroughGreytown : 800 cubic yards of metal has been placed and half a mile of bituminous penetration work completed. Waiohine Bridge-Waingawa Bridge: 600 yards of boulders have been used in river bank protection from the Waiohine bridge northwards. Formation work on this length is practically completed. Falkner’s Bridge-Eketahuna Deviation (Mt. Bruce Road Section) : The widening of these sections is in active progress. Metalling contracts have been let for the Eketahuna deviation. Mnsterton-Tinui. —Masterton County: 50 chains have been reconstructed and rolled and 1} miles of first coat sealing work have been completed. Pahiatua-Pongaroa.—Murphy’s bridge has been completed, also 10 chains of approaches formed and metalled. Dreyer’s Rock Road. —3 chains pf widening to 24ft. was completed during the month. „ ~ . Kahautara Highway.—Featherston County Section : 3 miles of first coat seaL ing work has been completed, and 280 yards of metal placed; 14 miles of second coat sealing has also been completed. Featherston - Martinborough.—Sealing work is in hand. A commencement has been made with the reconstruction of the Orakura bridge; 525 yards of metal has been placed. Te Ore Ore-Bideford.— Masterton County: Widening is in progress at the 12 and 16 mile pegs. Nelson-Blenheim.—Lud to Rai: Six bad corners have been widened on the

Wbangamoa Hill and 11 more improvements are in hand. Renwiektown-Branch River: Reforming, metalling and grading is in hand. Murchison - Reefton. —RappahannockWarwick Junction: 10 chains of re-for-mation and 6 chains of metalling have been completed. Nelson-Westport (No. 11 Highway District). —Norris Gully Bridges: No. 1: The left bank abutment and excavation for the right bank abutment have been completed. AH girders are on the site. No. 2: Excavation for left bank abutment is in hand, and all girders are on the site. Wairoa Bridge at Brightwater: Dismantling of the old bridge has been completed and plant for the new structure is in course of erection. StokeRichmond : 1| miles of foundation course have been completed, and the bituminous penetration course is in hand. Higgins’s creek culvert has been completed. Richmond-Collingwood.—Motueka River Bridge: The construction of this bridge has been continued. Westport-Karamea.—Mokihinui-Mara-mea: The fencing of approaches to Granite Creek bridge is well in hand. Bad bends are being improved at four places on this section. Westport-Nelson (No. 12 Highway District). —Westport-8 Mile: Arnold’s cutting has been widened and metalled. The cutting back of Windy Point corner is almost completed. Dublin Terrace Bridge: Good progress has been made with the excavations for abutments.