BRIDGES OVER RAILWAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20640, 12 August 1930, Page 13

BRIDGES OVER RAILWAY

POSITION y/ IN MOUNT EDEN. I EARLY replacement urged. BOROUGH COUNCIL'S CONCERN. 'A request to the Railways Department Jliat the wooden bridges over the Northern railway on Mount Eden Road and Do- ' jninion Road Should be replaced by confute structures is to be made by tho Jlount Eden Borough Council. At a meeting of the council last evening the engineer, Mr. J. Rogers, reported that tho whole superstructure of tho bridges, including the decking, were framed of timber, which was liable through decay and wear to friake the bridges dangerous to pedestrians and motor vehicles. Mr. Rogers said that a letter had been I jeceived from the district engineer of railways, asking whether the. council would to prepare/l to take over tho inspection and maintenance of tho decking of the two bridges, a man to be supplied by the department to / assist, at tho cost of the council, when any repairs necessitated working under the bridges. Mr. Rogers said the stipulations under tho Public Works Act definitely put the responsibility for tho construction and maintenance of the bridges upon the Railways Department owing to the alterations to the roads through the construction /of tho railway. "The present structures are merely of ft temporary nature and they do comply with the requirements of the Act or 4ive the same use as the original road," Mr. Rogers said. Ho was unablo to adyiso the council to take over the responsibility for inspection and maintenance of tho bridges. He recommended that no further payment, for repairs should bo made and tliat the department should he prged to reconstruct the bridges in concrete, when -it could be relieved of any further liability. Further, that unless tho Hepartment made suitable provision for Ihe reconstruction of the bridges in contaete that the present unsatisfactory position should bo placed before the Minister tf Railways/ The Mayor, Mr. E. H. rotter, said the timber was evidently rotting and it was advisable that the bridges should be permanently replaced. The only trouble was that the Government might claim a contribution of the cost from the council. In that case it was a matter which ;would, have to be contested. Mr. W. H. Nagle asked whether tho bridge would actually be safe for, say, the next five years. Mr. Rogers said tho bridges at present required a lot of maintenance. They Jvould be unsafo Jn less than fivo years. "The Railways Department contributed nothing .toward tho approaches when the //bridges were erected," said Mr. Potter. In reply to a question Mr. Rogers said the danger/from fire was remote, although pne bridge had caught fire recently. The engineer's report was adopted.