DAMAGE TO BITUMEN STREETS.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 27, 27 November 1930, Page 10

DAMAGE TO BITUMEN STREETS.

In an interview with. Mr. A. Or. Busk, tho Borough Engineer/ it was pointed out that our several miles of bitumen sealed streets could be maintained in better condition and at less ~cot*t we're, they treated with.greaterconsideration by those who use them for horse'drawn traffic. Many; of the' heavier horses are shod with a calk, or heel, forged on to the shoe. In summer weather when the roads warm up, the sealing material i becomes more plastic and. the iron heel penetrates the material, thus destroy-

ing the sealing. This damage neces^i-

tates' the roads being frequently repaired for when the water penetrates be

neath the sealing the whole road is en-

•dangered and summer time /becomes an * anxious period for those responsible fotr their care. Tie newer the work, the

more serious isV the damage; for until

successive sealing coats have been ap- ' plied, thickening the sealed crust, the

heels penetrate right through to the

macadam surface and thi^s admitting water. If every owner of horses shod

as described, would insist in their

drivers keeping to the macadam road berms, whenever possible, it would be

both -helpful and economic, besides

facilitating the passage of traffic by leaving the sealed surface for the faster vehicles. If this suggestibn were fol- , lowed it would have the additional adf. vantage' of i keeping the grass growth '■on the road sides in check and so save

the considerable expense of keeping them cleared by manual labour. This

is help that costs the giver nothing and we feel that every right minded ratepayer will do his utmost to conform with the suggestion, now that the reason is made clear.