COST OF TAR SEALING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2802, 18 November 1931, Page 5

COST OF TAR SEALING.

IN PIAKO COUNTY. In view of the suggestion of sealing the Hikutaia-Te Aroha section of the main highway the following details of the cost of such work in Piako County will be of interest:— The 85 miles of tar sealed main highway from Motumaoho to Tatuanui has been constructed at a total cost of £15,000, or £1,920 pei- mile of 16ft. road. This cost includes the widening of five bridges, the rebuilding of another bridge, the purchase of 15.200 cubic yards of metal, and the alteration of two railway cressings. ; Construction costs will be lower for the 3 h miles of sealing in the Waitoa Riding, which will work out at £1,550 pei- mile. There were no bridges to widen on this section, while less metal was required as there was already a fairly good foundation to work on. To seal the five miles in the Waihou Riding between Waitoa and Te Aroha the engineer estimates ■ will cost £12,000, or £2,400 a mile. The large increase in cost is to some extent due to extensive reconstruction work necessary, but chiefly to the higher standard of road required by the Highways Board in the ease of all jo’ .' started in the future

In giving these figures at Monday’s meeting of the Piako County Council, the engineer (Mr B. H. Horner) said they were useful as showing what it cost under ordinary conditions to construct a tar sealed road. * Toward the cost of the job the Main Highways Board provided £lO,OOO. roughly on a £2 for £1 subsidy basis. The ratepavers of the Morrinsville Riding have had to find £5,830, which they did with a loan of £2.000 and the balance out of the riding funds. While ihis outlay had depleted the riding’s funds for the time being, it would be out of debt in a year or so, because the huge sum previously spent in maintenance of the metalled road would be cut down to about £BO per mile per year. Previously the riding had spmt £260 per mile per year in maintaining the three miles fi'om Morrinsville to the boundary near Tatuanui, while from Morrinsville to Motumaoho the cost .was £l,lOO for five miles, with an additional £4OO for Kurunui Road, which was an alternative route, or -oughly £3OO per mile of highway. The chairman (Cr. W. R. Lowry): You can see the urgency of tar sealing the road from Waitoa to Te A roha. Explaining why the Waihou section would cost £2,400 a mile to tar seal, the engineer said the Highways Board now insisted that such roads must have not less than six inches of metal. It was a pity that the road was not sealed this year, before the. board stiffened up the specifications. The Highways Board was forced to go for stronger roads because the Transport Board was increasing the maximum -n»rd of lorries up to 35 miles per hour. That was a ruinous pace.