SAFETY CAMPAIGN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 8, 11 January 1939, Page 7

SAFETY CAMPAIGN

WORK ON THE ROADS

WELLINGTON AREA

MANY CROSSINGS IMPROVED

The work of making highways safer for traffic was greatly accelerated dur-, ing the year 1937-38 and the elimination of dangerous crossings is continuing at a good rate. Most of the work done by the Main Highways Board in this direction has been in rural areas, but it is proposed to extend it to builtup areas later. During 1936-37 fifteen crossings were eliminated and these, were increased to fifty during i 937-38. During the present financial year another twenty-three crossings have been dealt with, making a total of eighty-eight. Cases where proposals have been de* ferred in the meantime generally relate to crossings in boroughs, townships, and other closely built-up areas where interference with property would involve costly schemes. In. these localities traffic speeds are usually restricted, thereby minimising danger to some extent, and automatic warning devices have been installed. This arrangement allows of immedate attention being concentrated upon dangerous crossings on trunk routes in rural areas where expenditure can be applied towards securing the immediate elimination of a greater num«. ber of level crossings. When' the rural elimination projects are well advanced, further consideration is to be given to proposals for dealing with open crossings in built-up localities During the year ended.March 31 last, almost £300,000 was expended on the elimination of dangerous level railway crossings on main highways. At that date the total amount spent by the Main Highways Board since the start bf the present major., programme in 1937 was £400,000. The following summary shows thaf position as at the end of last month:--Crossings. Completed at March 31, 1938, and not now scheduled .... i 50 Completed since March 31, 1938 23 Contracts let and/or work in hand 38 Proposals completed (ready for^ advertising) .' 9 Proposals in hand 34 Surveys-in hand,. 27 The works comprised in the first three items include, or will include, 57 overbridges, 8 subways, and a number of river and stream bridges on deviations. Details of works in progress in the Wellington area are as follows:— Welllngton-Manawatu. Method of elimination. Stage reached. Ohau Overbridge Design plan completed. Manakau Overbridge Completed. Waikanae Subway Design plan completed. Paraparaumu Overbridge Completed. McKay's Overbridge Scheme plan completed. Porirua Overbridge Completed. Ashhurst Overbridge Design plan completed. Longburn Overbridge. Design plan completed. Wanganul-North Wellington. ' Kai Iwi Overbridge Bridge completed. Ohakune Overbridge Site plan in hand. Tanglwal Overbridge Scheme plan in hand. Waiouru S. Overbridge Investigation ia hand. Mangaweka Overbridge Scheme plan completed. Ohingaiti Overbridge Site plan in hand. Vinegar Hill Overbridge Work in progress. Cliff Koad Subway Completed. Greatford Overbridge ■ Bridge completed. Ball Boad Overbridge Design plan ia . hand. Makaranul .Subway Scheme plan completed. Kochfort Subway Scheme plan completed. WelUngton Bd. (Marton) Subway Completed. Bohny Glen Overbridge Completed. Welllngton-Walrarapa. Eketahuna N. Subway Work suspended. ,