MAINTENANCE OF ROADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19608, 9 April 1927, Page 13

MAINTENANCE OF ROADS.

COUNTY COUNCIL CONCERNED ENGINEER'S RECOMMENDATIONS. The maintenance of the roads, especially macadam roads, in the Waitemata County has been a matter of some concern to the County Council and in order to cope with the problem it was recently decided to obtain reports from the two county engineers. A report prepared by the second engineer, Mr. A. Murray, was received at a meeting of tho council yesterday „ - Mr. Murray stated that the question of drainage had not received due consideration. As 9-inch culvert pipes had been found too narrow he recommended the exclusive use of 12-inch pipes- The width of metal on main roads was altogether inadequate for traffic requirements. This width allowed for only one line of traffic and even this one line had no room on the metal to spread its loads outside of two definite ruts. The result of this was that macadam roads soon lost their proper shape and camber, allowing ruts and pot-holes to be formed. Steps must be taken immediately to widen the metal on main thoroughfares to at least 14 feet, with clay shoulders three feet in width on each side of this metal Instead of blinding with metal chips and dust only, the roads should be surface treated with bitumen or road oil. The engineer recommended that the roads when once constructed satisfactorily should be kept in good repair by the operations of two maintenance gangs —one for the eastern and one for the western ridings The question was deferred until the next meeting when it will be considered in conjunction with the first engineer's report.