DREAM COMES TRUE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 98, 19 January 1935, Page 21

DREAM COMES TRUE

Highway Up Slopes of Mount Etna FASCIST ACHIEVEMENT Under the Fascist regime in Italy the dream of ages, a road to Mount Etna (Sicily) has come true, adding an additional sparkle to the lustre of Mussolini as a leader who gets things done. The new road, which is twenty miles in length, is the continuation of the road from Carania and Nicolosi to the Casa Oantoniera (road house) situated 6180 feet above sea-level. The new road cost £lOO,OOO. The character of the new road is said to be unique. It is not an ordinary mountain road, as ample evidence exists throughout its length that it leads to a volcano. Vast stretches of rugged black lava, having the appearance of hardened mud, may be seen on either side of the road. Sometimes this lava, some of it probably spewed up long before Christ, often assumes fantastic forms along the slopes of the otherwise cultivated hill lands and fertile valleys. The difference in height between Nicolosi and the Casa Cantoniera is nearly 4060 feet, so it is a real climb for a motor-car, but so well engineered is the grade that it is not at all difficult. Its average width is about 25 feet. Thorough Marking.

How Italy marks the bends in its roads is an object-lesson in thoroughness. Occasionally in New Zealand one sees a few white posts or loose stones placed on the side of the road to mark the curve of the road on the declivity side; but the Italian engineers decided on great blocks of concrete four feet in height and joined together with bars of steel. These blocks not only act as a guide round the bends, but form admirable seats for those motorists who wish to leave the car at intervals to take in the novel and'grand views which mark the road as one of the most remarkable in Europe. Technically the road is-perfect. Owing to the difficult ground over which it had to be laid, consisting of mountains that were originally subsidiary cones and deep valleys that succeed each other without interruption, hardened lavas from the streams of different eruptions often superimposed with broken and rugged surfaces, slopes covered with dense forests and sandy zones resembling deserts; long study and repeated surveys were necessary to set out the planimetrieal course of the road. After repeated attempts and topographical measurements the definite course of the road was decided, and the following essential . points were strictly adhered to —namely: (a) the radius of curves not to be less than 132 ft. even on the most difficult ground, (b) the total elimination of curves and counter-curves too close together, and when this was not possible the curves to be given a sufficiently wide radius to insure absolute visibility in both directions.

The accurate study of the longitudinal section of the road led to its being laid on the shortest line between two points and to the reduction of gradients to the maximum limit of 8 in 1000 without rises and falls and only in short tracts when difficult ground rendered them impossible. .Solid Foundation. The road is laid on a solid foundation of rolled broken stones treated with two coatings of bitumen emulsion applied cold as a surface dressing. All curves have carefully raised banks on the outside throughout the entire width of the road, which, moreover, has a surface of uniform convexity while in the case of curves having a relatively high longitudinal gradient, the road is paved by means of special porphyry cones. As the road has an essentially tourist character, and is intended for heavy motor passenger traffic, great care has been taken to provide it with traffic warnings and notices, which besides insuring safety have also the advantage of supplying interesting information to motorists. The Road Commission of the Royal Automobile Club of Italy issued the necessary instructions for the adoption of two uniform types of road notices, visible at night by reflection; those preceding curves, cross-roads, ditches, etc., triangular in shape, while ■the others, containing indications of tourist interest such as lava streams, dates of eruptions, landmarks, etc., are rectangular.

The road ends ’about 2000 metres (6600 ft. above sea level. Its continuation would have been extremely difficult and costly, and, moreover, it was not necessary. In fact, without a road leading to the central crater, Etna has been to all intents and purposes conquered. The distance separating the Casa Cantoniera from the Observatory on the summit at 2942 metres (10,008 ft. takes about two hours on mule-back to cover and besides the fact that it is comparatively easy to negotiate, it is only right that this traditional means of ascent should survive for those desirous to reach the central crater and enjoy one of the most wonderful' views in the world.