RURAL ROADS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 237, 19 September 1934, Page 5

RURAL ROADS

Bridge-Building Programme £2,250,000 IN TEN YEARS Own Parliamentary Correspondent. WELLINGTON, September 18. I The annual report of the Transport Department, which was presented to Parliament to-day, recommends a programme of bridge building for rural roads. It is estimated that £2,250,000 will be required to replace bridges that will need attention during the next ten years. The following is a table of bridges on rural roads, the figures in brackets representing the length in feet: — Concrete or stone .. 508 (40,357) Concrete, steel and timber combinations 776 (80,431) Timber, including New Zealand timber and Australian hardwood 4390 (377,767) Totals 1 5674 (498,555) The main point disclosed by this table is that over 75 per cent, of bridges on rural roads are timber bridges with a probable average life or from 25 to 30 years. The Main Highways Board has compiled a very valuable bridge register for all bridges on main highways, and a summary of this register gives the following results:— ft. Concrete or stone 27,700 Concrete, steel and timber combination 61,448

Timber, including New Zealand and Australian hardwood 146,553 Total 235,701 An investigation of the register in relation to timber bridges gave the results set out hereunder:— Age of Bridges Feet Under 10 years 20,517 10 years to 20 years . - .. 32,242 20 years to 30 years .. .. 41,035 30 years to 40 years .. .. 33,707 40 years to 50 years .. .. 14,655 Over 50 years 4,307 Totals 146,553 The Main Highways Board has a definite programme for the replacement of defective and obsolete bridges, and it is therefore proposed to investigate the position of bridges on rural roads other than main highways. The total length of timber bridges over 25 feet in length on all rural roads, including main highways, is 377,767 feet, while main highways account for 146,553 feet, leaving a balance of 231,214 feet on rural roads other than main nighways. In the absence of any reliable data concerning the age of timber bridges on rural roads other than main highways, it is assumed that the ages of these timber bridges would be comparable with those on main highways, and on this assumption the following table shows the position of the age of timber bridges on rural roads other than main highways:— Feet Under 10 years .. .. .. 32,370 10 years to 20 years .. .. 50,867 20 years to 30 years .< .. 64,740 30 years to 40 years .. .. 53,179

40 years to 50 years .. .. 23, 1.2 Over 50 years 6,936 Total 231,214 This table indicates that 64 pci eent., or 147,977 feet, of timber bridges on rural roads other than main highways were built over 20 years ago, while 36 per cent, or 83,237 feet are over the age of 30 yea.... In view of the vital importance of bridges to land transport, it. appears essential that a definite bridge-renewal programme similar to that being carried out by the Main Highways Board should be put in hand with the object of replacing within the next ten years 147,977 feet of bridging on rural roads other than main highways. To replace these timber bridges with concrete would cost approximately £l5 a font, and the total sum to be provided would be approximately £2.250,000. By adopting concrete for replacement, all materials, with the exception of reinforcing steel, would be available within New Zealand.