CARE OF ROADS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 134, 4 December 1930, Page 14

CARE OF ROADS

SPECIAL MAINTENANCE

, CITY ENGINEER'S REPORT

x The City Engineer (Mr. G. Al Hart) reported to the Wellington City and Suburban Highways Board yesterday that certain roads under the board's control had, in the past, mainly owing to faulty foundations, required. special maintenance, and ■were likely to continue to do. They were: Petone Esplanade, Cuba, .street, Petone; main road, Lower Hutt; 1 main. East Coast highway at T;iita; Evans Bay road; and Day's Bay road. The special work needed at Day's Bay was due to erosion by.the sea. No general policy of scaling was required at present or was likely to be needed in the near future, but when it became . Nieccssary the following ronds paved in 1925 might bo expected to take precedence: Esplanade, Petone; Cuba street; Railway avenue, Lower llutt; part of the main road, Lower Hutt; Evans Bay road; Kilbirnie crescent"; Onepu road; Oriental parade; and Queen's Drive. The Mayor (Mr. vG.. A. Troup): "What security have' _ that these roads will be brought before- us? We are a little bit uneasy, Mr. Hart; when the Hutt road is allowed to go so long without attention. Can you assure- us that these roads will bo brought under our notice before they get into the same condition as. the Hutt road." It was suggested that the City Engineer report each year with regard to roads requiring special consideration. Mr. D. R. Hoggard considered that provision should bo made on the Estimates each year. Mr. Hart, said that apart from the Hutt road special consideration should be given to the roads every three years. In regard to the Hutt road, he thought, speaking frankly, that it had been, painted in rather lurid colours. The time mentioned was ever}'- sevcii years, but he thought that was rather too optimistic. Where the traffic was heavy on. the main roads, he considered the board would be well-advised to give a "polishing" coat about every three years at a cost of about 3d a square yard, in substantial lengths. In reply to the Mayor, Mr. Hart said; that any road which had been down longer than three years should be gone iover carefully, that was, where the traffic was heaviest. Mr. Hart was instructed to bring down a report before the framing of the Estimates;