ROAD TO TE ATATU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18566, 26 November 1923, Page 10

ROAD TO TE ATATU.

PROPOSED DEVIATION.

SAVING OF 7J MILES.

BRIDGE OVER WHAU CREEK.

Members of the Avondale Borough Council and representatives of the Swanson Ratepayers' Association on Saturday afternoon met the members of the Tc Atatu Bridge Committee at Te Atatu and went over the route of the proposed road deviation, if the bridge over tho Whau Creek is proceeded with to link the two districts. The scheme generally is now somewhat different from the original proposal, which embraced three bridges. On investigation that scheme was found to be too costly for the immediate future. The present proposal is to cut out tho bridge over the Taikato Creek, which would mean a span as large as the proposed bridge over the Whau Creek and confine the proposal to bridging the Whau and Henderson Creeks The chairman of the Bridge Committee, Mr. Paton, explained the proposals in detail. The original scheme, he said, would not only have shortened the distance between Avondale and Helensville, but would also have brought Waimarie, Hobsonville and Kiverhead nearer to Auckland. 'Die present scheme would shorten the distance between Auckland and Helensville by 74 miles. The Taikato Creek could be bridged at a later date it found desirable. . The proposed route was down Rosebank Road, Avondale, which was metalled for a distance of three miles, then there was a stretch of about three-quarters of a mile unmetalled through Park Avenue and the RoseDanK °nrk. at the end of which was the Whau Creek, separating Avondale from Te Atatu Mr. 6. Jackson, engineer to the Waitemata County Council estimated that the bridge over the Whau and the approaches could be constructed for £20,000, the total leneth of bridge and approaches being 493 ft. On tho Te Atatu side the necess-ry land for a roadway between the Whau and the Henderson Creeks will be given by the property owners concerned and in some cases the formation work will be undertaken free of cost also. With the exception of a few chains an almost even grade could be obtained. The proposed bridge over the Henderson Creek. 69ft. in length, was estimated to cost £4000. Both bridges would bo of reinforced concrete. After the Henderson Creek was crossed a short stretch of new roadway would make a connection with the existing concrete bridge over Lincoln 'Road, the route then following that known as the summer road to Kumeu.

The saving of distances between Avondale and various points is as follows :— Helensville 7£ miles, Te Atatu 3 miles, Lincoln Bridge 3£ miles, Kumeu t>£ miles. Mr. W. J. Tait, Mayor of Avondal* said his council had been favourably impressed with the proposal and fuller consideration would be given at a special meeting on Monday. He agreed with a suggestion by Mr. Paton that representatives of Avondale Borough Counc'l, Te Atatu Bridge Committee, Swanson Batepayers' Association and the Waitemata County Council should confer with a view to representations being made to the "Government for a substantial grant for the work.