WORK ON TAINUI STREET STARTED THIS MORNING

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 August 1949, Page 4

WORK ON TAINUI STREET STARTED THIS MORNING

Following the decision made at last week’s meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council that the work of reconstructing the first section of Tainui street, south from- Chapel street, should be' undertaken immediately, council workmen -this morning commenced “tearing up” the present uneven surface. Work on the section of the. road from Chapel street to Grogan’s lane is expected to take several months. The read will not be closed to traffic, howevpr, as the reconstruction work is to be done in three strips, leaving two-thirds of the width of the road always available. Much more than resurfacing is involved in the re-laying of the road. The present high camber is to be reduced and this will involve considerable excavation and filling to the new contour. Approximately 500 yards of metal will be required for the short section of the street now being dealt with. The council’s mechanical excavator is being used to tear up the existing roadway anji it is heavy work, even for such a powerful machine. Under the tar sealed surface is the original macadam road, packed down to almost concrete-like hardness by many years of heavy traffic. It is necessary for the shovel to excavate to a depth of about a foot in most places. Apart from providing a smooth, surface, in contrast to the present uneven sealing, the reconstruction work will improve the street from the point of view of parking on the side as the lessened camber will eliminate the present sharp “dips” into the side channels.