Sealing of Rongotea- Longburn Road

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 81, 7 April 1937, Page 6

Sealing of RongoteaLongburn Road

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL PRESENTED WITH COST. The question of improving the Ron-gotea-Longburn road from Rongotea township to the Oroua river, came before tho Manawatu County Council yesterday. The engineer (Mr H. V. Bond) imported on costs as follows: (1) To scarify the existing surface, add clay filler, compact the surface aud spread a light dusting of maintenance metal over the surface —cost between Rongotea township and Oroua river bridge (3.6 miles at £255), £9IS; cost between Rongotea township and No. 1 main highway (2.83 miles at £245), £693; total, £l6ll. Cost to Manawatu County Council on £3 for £1 subsidy basis, £430. (2) To scarify surface, add coat of pit metal 3in. thick, compact the surface and spread a light dusting of maintenance metal over the surface and build up shoulders where necessarycost between Rongotea township and Oroua river bridge (3.6 miles at £392), £3211 4s; cost between Rongotea township and No. 1 main highway (2.83 miles at £796), £2252 14s; total, £5463 ISs. Cost to Manawatu County Council on £3 for £1 subsidy basis, £1366. (3) To totally reconstruct, drain and culvert and bituminous seal —cost between Rongotea township und Oroua river bridge (3.6 miles at £2730), £9828; cost between Rongotea township and No. 1 main highway (2.83 miles at £2580), £7428; total, £17,256. Cost to Manawatu County Council on £3 for £1 subsidy basis, £4314.

Maintenance: If either of the first two proposals is adopted, 'ho. maintenance cost would be im-rmsed as a hard clay-bound road with just a small quantity of floating metal spread over the surface would require double the amount of grading that an ordinary shingle road requires, maintenance cost would, therefore, bo as follows: No. 1: Maintenance costs per annum between Rongotea township and Oroua river bridge (3.6 miles at £I6U), £576; maintenance cost per annum between Rongotea township and No. 1 main highway (2.83 miles at £132), £373 10s; total, £949 10s. Cost to Manawatu County Council on £3 for £1 subsidy oasis, £237. No. 2: .Same as No. 1.

No. 3: Maintenance per annum, including re-sealing every five years between Rongotea township and Oroua river (3.6 miles at £96), £345 12s; maintenance cost per annum, including rosealing every live years between Kongotea township and No. 1 main highway (2.83 miles at £92), £260 7s; total £605 19s. Cost to Manawatu County Council on £3 for £1 subsidy basis. The past year’s maintenance cost was £470, of which the council found £llß. To any moneys expended outside of ordinary revenue, interest and sinking fund must be added to annual costs.

Councillors were of opinion that the third proposal was the only one worth considering.

The chairman: Then we should also consider the road linking up this highway with Awahuri through Kopane. Cr. Moreom: But the LongburnRongotea road is the more important. The chairman: I agree, but my view is that if we are going to raise a loan for this work, we might as well include the road to Awahuri at the same time.

Cr. Boyce said a loau for improvements from Makowhai right through Rongotea to the Oroua river would bo carried.

The matter is to receive further consideration at next meeting of the council.