WIDENING LIKELY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 303, 20 November 1935, Page 7

WIDENING LIKELY.

ROAD THROUGH GORGE. A MAJOR UNDERTAKING. Far worse than at any time in the past nine years, the condition of the Manawatu Gorge Road is at present such that it is understood a proposal to give this highway special attention to improve its safety after the narrow escapes experienced by motorists is engaging the attention of the authorities. Though the extensive work involved in the adoption of this course would create same inconvenience to mortists, it is stated that this would be preferable to the present series of blockages, and it would be possible to keep the route was learned by a “Standard” representative to-day that there is a suggestion to widen the highway over the whole of its length through the Gorge, cutting off some sharp corners. This would be a major undertaking costing many thousands of pounds it is stated but it would minimise the danger of slips and the frequently recurring blockages which have made the road an uncertain route over which to travel during recent months. The position is such that it is understood the work is practically certain to be put in hand by the Public Works Department. While this would obviate the risk involved to present users of the highway., it would be impossible to prevent every slip likely to occur. The present roadway varies in width from 18 to 24 feet. Practically exhausted after long hours of arduous work in heavy rain, employees of the Public Works Department laboured until 10 o clock last night endeavouring to keep the road open at the point where the large slip which occurred a hout a fortnight ago, near the Devil’s Elbow, and burst open again last Friday, was still creeping. Only intermittent use lias been ma.de of the steam navvy which is available for cleaiance operations, owing to the danger involved in disturbing the surShortly after the men had ceased work owing to the unsafe conditions, for it had rained continuously from 2 p.m., the foreman (Air J. Brockie) retired to bed, only to he roused by a late motorist who pounded on the door to inform him thiiL the Goigo was again blocked, the face of the slip having collapsed again. Additional lights and a warning hoard were provided at the Ashhurst side of the slip, but it was too dangerous to cross it on foot to the other side, owing to falling stones. Men were on the scene again at 5.30 a.m. today and by 8 a.m. a track had been cut'wide enough to allow vehicles to pass. , . t ~ Engineering opinion is tliat tlie trouble now occurring is an indirect consequence of the loosening of the surface of the Gorge by the earthquake, which did such damage at Napier in 1931, the situation having been aggravated by the first season of exceptionally wet weather which has since occurred. Consisting, like the remainder of the Tararuas, of grey rock, the Gorge is stated to bo an old earthquake fault, as all the country on the roadside is shattered geologically, except for a few outcrops of rock. For this reason it is considered that the Gorge may never have real stability, though on the railway side the rock formation appears to have suffered little disturbance.