MARKING ROADS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 41, 18 February 1931, Page 10

MARKING ROADS

STUDS VERY COSTLY

PAINT TOO FUGITIVE

The system of marking the centre of its highways occupied the attention of tho City and Suburban Highways Board to-day, as tho result of a communication from the Main Highways Board. Tho Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup) presided. Mr.- G. Mitchell asked how long the white paint used in the city would last on the Hutt road. Tho City Engineer (Mr. G. A. Hart) said that it was all a matter of weather and traffic, but tho paint might last twelve months. Other members thought that this was an over estimate. Sir Alexander Roberts was of the opinion that steel studs wore the best permanent marking. The City Engineer said that white paint would be more economical on a long length of road, such as the Hutt road, if it were determined to mark the whole of the centre of the road. Steel studs or inlays would be much ,more expensive. Studs had caused much annoyance and even danger, but in Great Britain, where their use had increased, the price had decreased considerably latterly. There was no doubt that an absolutely permanent job was given by studs, but they were very expensive still. ' The Mayor thought that some machine could bo devised that would mark the roads economically, on tho same principle as tennis courts were lined out. Using a motor-ear for tho marking, said Mr. Hart, the whole of tho centre of the Hutt road could be marked for £83. The Mayor: "But that would have to be done every six months." Mr. G. Mitchell thought that with bad weather and heavy traffic the marking would last less than that. Various speakers suggested the inlaying of tiles or cement, but it was pointed out that whilo the laying of these in a central line would be simple enough in the case of a roai. iv course of construction, it would mean breaking up tho road to put them in. The Mayor spoke of tho success in Paris of white marking cement in which niagnesitc had boon incorporated. The widening of tho Hutt road, iv relation to the centre lino, was discussed, Mr. D. H. Hoggard remarking that the lino would not affect "cutting in" adversely, because there would be forty feet of road. Most members were against tho continuance of,the practice of painting the dividing line, it being emphasised that file interest on tho cost of steel studs for the whole job would probably not exceed tho annual cost of painting. The City Engineer said that the cost of the steel studs was 7s Cd each. On the motion of tho Mayor of Petono (Mr. J. M'Kenzie), it was agreed to mark only corners on the Hutt road, and the City Engineer was instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of the alternative method^ of marking.