MAIN HIGHWAYS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 22 September 1925, Page 4

MAIN HIGHWAYS.

MEETING OF BOARD. During the past few months (according to the -officio L report of the last meeting of the Main Highways Board) numerous representations have been made for subsidies towards the cost of maintenance of detour roads which have to be used during the time a main highway is closed to traffic on account of reconstruction, the grounds for such representations being that any additional cost incurred in maintaining such detour roads should be regarded as a part of the cost reconstruction of the main highway. The board decided to allow a subsidy on expenditure required to keep the surface of the detour road in the same condition 1 in which it is usually maintained by the controlling authority, and will regard such subsidy as part of the construction costs of t-he main highway. Some time ago the board issued a map showing the various highways throughout New Zealand, and allotted a number to each' highway. It is now proposed that the number of each highway in a circle be placed on direction posts, and that local bodies and automobile associations are to lie communicated with, to this effect. The hoard will regard the sign posting as a construction work (so far as new signposts are concerned), and a maintenance work (so far as repairs to or substitution of existing sign-posts relate), and. will subsidise accordingly, subject to the work being first approved by the board, and subject to the numbering of the main, highway on the signpost. Numerous cases were brought under the board’s notice of improvement in road surfaces. Such improvement is being brought about hv the adoption by local authorities of improved and, up-to-date methods,, advocated by the board, and at little or no extra cost. There are, on the other hand, cases where local authorities are loath 'to abandon methods which are known to lie expensive and less effective, but the board predicts tlie day when all local authorities will adopt modern methods in favour of those which were found adequate prior to the advent of fastmoving traffic. In the detailed report of road construction. work the following reference was made to the Lepperton JunctionHawera via Opunake road: No construction work has been carried- out during the period, but a large contract for bituminous surfacing 12J miles' has been let, and work is- about to commence. , Taungatara stream bridge: The whole of the concrete work has been completed, and the- construction of protective groynes is in hand.