HIGHWAYS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4807, 7 July 1939, Page 7

HIGHWAYS

NO. 6 DISTRICT. ANNUAL REPORT ON WORK. The following annual report on highway works, etc., in the No. 6 Highway District for the year 1938-39 and information necessary for. the consideration of the annual estimates for 1939-40, was submitted to the annual meeting of the Council: — Annual Review of Highways. The highways revoked during the year were as follows: No. 350—Okahukura-Ohura; length 22 miles 51 chains. The Highways declared were:— No. 350 —Mangatupoto-Ohura, length 2 C / miles 40 chains; No. 576—Morero Highway, Taumarunui Borough, length 36 chains, The increase in the length of Highway in the District is 25 chains. The total length of Highways in the district at 31st March, 1939, was 602 miles 25 chains. Construction Work (State Highways) Expenditure, 1938-39, £76,809. The work carried out was as follows:—Formation, 12 miles 49 chains; metalling base course, 10 miles 74 chains; top course, 48 miles 40 chains; engineering survey, 24 miles; tar-seal-ing second coat, 23 chains; tar-sealing prime and seal coat, 8 miles 17 chains.

Maintenance Work (State Highways)

Expenditure, 1938-39, £41,973. Number of miles maintained, 164 miles 24 chains; average cost per mile, £255.46; total expenditure on State Highways, £118,782.

Construction Work (Main Highways).

Expenditure, 1938-39, £35,411. The work carried out is as follows: — Formation, 6 miles 03 chains; metalling, 4 miles 28 chains; engineering surveys, 12. miles 73 chains; bridges reinforced concrete, 5, total length, 278 feet; reinforced concrete culverts, 1, length 53 feet, 12 feet by 12 feet arch.

Maintenance Work (Main Highways).

Expenditure, 1938-39, Main Highways Board, £24,630; Local Bodies, £6634; total, £31,264. Number of miles maintained, 438 miles 1 chain; average cost per mile, £71.38. Total expenditure on Main Highways by Main Highways Board, £60,041. Construction Work (Level Crossings). Expenditure, 1938-39, £3845. Summary of Expenditure. No. 6 District. State Highways £118,782 Main Highways 60,041 Elimination of Level Crossings 3,845 Total £182,668 The cash allocation was £162,250 The gross allocation for No. 6 District for the year 1939-40 is £243,000. The total of the applications received was £288,000. . The total amount recommended and shown on the draft estimates is £243,165. Reconstruction Work on State Highways, Etc.

The more important works carried out on State Highways are as under: Hamilton-Te Kuiti State Highway: Te Kuiti northwards —2 miles 7 chains of re-formation and metalling have been completed and further work is in hand. Te Kuiti-New Plymouth State Highway: One mile of heavy re-construc-tion work has been completed over the Awakino Hill, and it is anticipated that extension southwards will continue steadily. Four miles 6 chains of re-construction have been completed in the vicinity of the 8-mile; 6 miles 3 chains of bitumenising have been completed north of Pio Pio. Te Kuiti-National Park State Highway: Ohura turnoff-Ongarue turnoff, 2 miles 36 chains of re-formation and metalling have been completed. Ongarue turn-off - Taumarunui: 3 miles of re-construction have been completed. Owhango-Oio: 3 miles CO chains of base course metalling have been completed. In addition to the above, contracts have been let as under:— Hamilton-Te Kuiti State Highway: One mile of first coat seal. Te Kuiti-New Plymouth State Highway (Awakino Gorge): 7 miles of first coat seal. Te Kuiti-National Park State Highway (Okahukura-Taumarunui Section: 3 miles 60 chains of re-construction and 6 miles 55 chains of first coat seal.

Owhango Sestion: 6 miles 50 chains of toj) course metalling and first coat seal.

Level crossings have been eliminated as under:—Short Street Subway (Taumarunui Borough) has been completed. In addition the Spiral Overbridge contract is well under way. General. A modern type of snow plough with mast and wings has been obtained for use in the National Park area. The more important works carried out on ordinary Main Highways are as under:—•

Stratford-Taumarunui Main Highway: Coates' bridge, 50ft in length have been completed. Pio Pio-Tatu Main Highway: Five miles of formation have been carried out in the Waitewhena.

Manunui-Owhaaigo Main Highway: Kakahi branch bridge, 74ft in length, has been completed . Kururau-Taumarunui Main Highway: Blom field's Bridge, 93ft in length, has been completed. Taumarunui-Ongarue Main Highway: Saunder's Bridge, 36ft in length, completed; Otataka Culvert, 12ft by 12ft, has been completed; Cemetery Bridge, 25ft in length, has been completed.