BOMBAY DEVIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20724, 18 November 1930, Page 11

BOMBAY DEVIATION.

IMPROVING ALIGNMENT. PROGRESS OF THE WORK* INSPECTION BY MOTORISTS* PROSPECTS FOR SUMMER. The whole of the Bombay deviation* and particularly the two sections where, improvements are in progress, was inspected by the Roads and Service Coiru mif tee of the Auckland Automobile Association yesterday. The party was accompanied by Mr. F. S. Dyson, the> Auckland district engineer of the Publio Works Department, who explained the various works which are being carried out. With the approach of finer weather the, association has received many inquiries from motorists concerning the progress of the work on the deviation, and recently the advisory committee of the Franklin agency asked the council of the association for definite information as to when its members could use the road. Tfie deviation is really in four sections* and the two northern pieces, from the, foot of the Bombay Hills to the far side of' the Pokeno Hill, which is the portion of the road designed to obviate the crossing; oi the Razorback Hills, will not be open to traffic during the coming summer. Representations to the Main Highways Board last year resulted in work being put in hand to improve the visibility and alignment on the two northern sections of the deviation, and this work, which was inter* rupted hy the wet weather during the winter, is still in progress. Long Stretch Closed Until March. The part of the road from the foot of the Bombay Hills to the intersection of the Bombay-Pukekohe road will probably be open beforo Christmas, and will enable motorists to avoid climbing the Bombay; Hills. The long stretch from this intersection to the Pokeno Hill, which skirta the Razorback Hills, will, however, be definitely closed until the end of March t when the contracts in progress will expire. The section from the Pokeno Hill ta Pokeno is at present available for trafficj and is in no way affected by the present work. It is used Extensively by traffic to Paeroa, Thames and the Hauraki Plains, and provides a good surface. The remaining section, from Pokeno to Mercer, is impassable, but work on it ia progressing favourably, and it is hoped that traffic will bo able to use it toward the middle of January. The progress of the work depends largely upon the weather, and wet weather would cause ft delay. It is thus possible that if the weather is fine three of the four sections will be open by the middle of January, but it will still be necessary for motorists to negotiate the steep Pokeno and Razorback Hills during the summer. Another inspection of th® road will be made by the Roads and Ser* vice Committee of the Automobile Aescw ciation early in the new year, and mem« bers will then be advised oi the probabiU ity of the whole of the deviation being open for Easter. Permanent Surface Needed. The work in hand at present provides * only for earthworks, and the provision of an all-weather surface will be further discussed by the Main Highways Board and the Franklin County Council at the end of this month. It is hoped that some settlement will be reached at the conference, as it is very desirable that the deviation should have a permanent surface and be available for traffic in all weather as early as possible. The work in progress on the two north« ern sections is principally the cutting back of corners, and a general improvement of alignment and visibility. Whaa tho work is finished the grade through the deviation will be a little steeper than before, but the difference will be barely perceptible and the improvements will make travelling much easier. There will be no sharp bends when the work is finished* and as it was on the corners that ists found their cars losing power when the original deviation was opened, it is expected that most cars will be abl© t(h cover the whole of the improved deviation in top gear. Bad Corners Cut Back. Several of the worst corners have.aUg ready been cut back, and the first sectidnj is now practically straight. A large citl4 vert is being made in concrete at the® southern end of the second section, at this place the new road, which is at a lower level, will cross the present route,* cutting off the two sharp bends" known to motorists as " The Circus." Members of the party which inspected the work yesterday expressed the opinion that the work being done would effect a • very marked improvement, and that the deviation would give every satisfaction when it had been permanently surfaced* They remarked upon the magnitude of the work, which is not generally realised, and after walking along the two northern sections the president, Mr. A. Grayson, said that although the closing of the road had caused a certain amount of inconvenience, the improvements would ultimately more than compensate for any delay that had been cauSed.