FRANKLIN COUNTY ROADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19144, 9 October 1925, Page 10

FRANKLIN COUNTY ROADS.

THE QUESTION OF SURFACE. BITUMEN HELD TOO COSTLY. [Bt TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] PUKEKOHE. Thursday. The question of adopting some improved method of road surfacing in the Franklin County was the subject of a special report to the council by the engineer, Mr. J. F. Mc Arthur. He considered the only improved method which could possibly be adopted generally was bituminous-surface sealing, the cost of which would be approximately £7OO a mile, phis the cost of any necessary extensive alteration to the slope of the existing metalled roads. There were 273 miles of metalled roads in the county, and a Scheme of reconstruction and bituminous-surface sealing embracing the most important 100 miles would cost £2200 a mile, a total of £220,000. The annual cost to the county for interest, sinking' fund and probable maintenance •would be upwards of £21,400. Taking everything into consideration the engineer did not think it advisable to launch out into a large expenditure for improved road . construction at the present time. He added that a slight increase jn the general revenue of the county would be necessary in the near future if the roars within the county Were to be maintained up to the present •taifdard, the cost of which, in the case •f metalled surfaces, ranged from £SO ®c £125 a mile annually. The report was adopted.