SURFACE FOR ROAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 12

SURFACE FOR ROAD.

CONCRETE PENETRATION,

WAITEMATA COUNTY SCHEME.

Disappointment was expressed at the meeting of tho Waitemata County Council yesterday that neither the Main Highways Board nor the Public Works Department had given its approval to tho system of "concrete penetration" which the council proposed to use on sections of its main highways.

According to the report of the county engineer, Mr. A. Murray, the system hacl beon extensively used in Australia and elsewhere. It consisted of tho laying of concrete on loose metal. The concrete mixture penetrated tho niotal and set tho whole in a solid mass. A demonstration section hacl been laid down in tho Albany Road and over this a tonton truck was run for 28 days, with an avcrago cf 97 trips a day. A traffic tally showed that in addition an average of 324 motor vehicles a day used the road. Bitumen laid alongside the concroto strip had deteriorated badly, yet tho concrete was completely unaffected. Tho cost of tho "concrete penetration" was only a liltlo above that of bitumen.

In tho absence of tho engineer it was decided to defer further action until tho next meeting. In tho meantime, work on tho Birkenhoad-Albany and Ilonder-son-lluapai highways is being delayed until tho approval of tho Main Highways Board has been received.