Bad State Of County Roads

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1947, Page 5

Bad State Of County Roads

Roadmg improvements are a primary consideration with the Whangarei County Council at present. “This is a very important matter,” said the chairman (Cr J. Morrison) at the monthly meeting yesterday. “It should be discussed at t.hc April meeting before the estimates for next year are considered.” There was no doubt that the council would have to find a lot of money for deferred maintenance. “We are getting it ‘slung’ at us from every direction." said Cr C. A. Loved. “People all over the county are asking why we don't get the roads fixed." SEALING SUGGESTED More frequent grading would be required on the Maungatapeie-Kaikche road, said the engineer (Mr K. W. King). This also applied to all main coun.y roads and main highways, which seemed to have been undergraded in the past. While the county was short of efficient graders, running surfaces would suffer. Cr Lovell suggested that 30 chains of the Kamo-Purua highway—“one of the worst roads in the county”—oo sealed as an experiment. There was a big difference between the cost of sealed and metalled roads, but the former would save a lot of wear and tear on vehicles, said the engineer. Without elaborate re-formation it would cost £3500 to seal one mile of roadway with bitumen. MAINTENANCE COSTS

After eight years it would be ncccssary to re-seal the stretch at a cost of l £I2OO.

Beside these costs annual maintenance and interest on loans had to do considered.

I.ast year it cost £75 a mile to maintain the present county highways. In the long run it would probably be more advisable to spend twice this amount or even more to keep the roads in order with metal, the engineer said. The figures the engineer had quoted were very interesting—but not very pleasant, said Cr LovellThe condition of the roads will be further discussed by the council at it? next meeting. THREE MILE BUSH ROAD

The council received a petition signed by 37 residents and users of the Three Mile Bush Road, seeking an improvement to the road and expressing dissatisfaction with the present general condition. The petitioners asked the council to treat the matter of repairing and rebuilding the road as one of extreme urgency. “The road is an absolute disgrace, said Cr Lovell. Arrangements to have repairs made were completed some months ago. Unfortunately the petition had just “beaten him to it,” as the work was to ,1:0 started next week.