WAIKAREMOANA TO ROTORUA

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 52, 25 November 1929, Page 10

WAIKAREMOANA TO ROTORUA

NEW MOTOR ROAD NEARLY COMPLETED

Good progress is being made with the new road from Lake Waikaremoana to Rotorua. At the moment there are only about eight more miles of partially completed road to be finished before it will be possible to travel by car direct from Rotorua via Ruatahuna and the Urewera Country to Waikaremoana, thereby saving a considerable detour either by Gisborne or Napier. The new road which has been under construction between the lake and Ruatahuna for just over a year, follows for the most part an old rough track that has been allowed to fall into neglect for the last forty years. Over 200 workmen divided into five or six camps along the line of road, have been hard at work clearing this old track, rebuilding where necessary and carrying out formation work for an up-to-date motoring road. But for delay caused by bad weather in the very rough country at the back of the lake during the winter months, the first cars, it was hoped, would have got through by Christmas or early in January. It is now considered that if all goes well motorists will be able to make the 90-mile run from Rotorua to Lake Waikaremoana by Easter at the latest.

In addition to some eight or ten more miles of metalling yet to be completed the bridging, although well in hand, is not yet finished. There are three large bridges with a span of about 100 to 150 feet. One of these bridges is already done, another is half finished, and the third has yet to be started.