DANGEROUS BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21253, 5 August 1932, Page 13

DANGEROUS BRIDGE

STRUCTURE AT ORATIA WARNING LIGHT OUT COMPLAINTS OF MOTORISTS Complaints concerning the Ora'tia Stream Bridge at Henderson were communicated to the Auckland Automobile Association last evening. A motorist statod that he almost crashed into a barrier which had been erected across the end of the bridge because of inadequate lighting. The touring manager of the association immediately went out to the scene and at a late hour reported that the main trouble had been caused by a light at one end of the bridge having been extinguished in the high wind. The barricades blocking the bridge for traffic had been constructed of old timber and owing to the rain it was very difficult to see them even with powerful headlights. White kerosene lamps had been placed at each side of the bridge on both ends, but as one of these was not burning it would have been quite a simple matter for an accident to have occurred under the bad visibility conditions which existed during the evening. No red lights or danger signs were visible. This bridge, which is situated on the Auckland-Helensville main highway, has been condemned by the Public Works Department engineers and the Henderson Town Boerd has closed it for traffic pending a settlement of a controversy regarding the allocation of costs to be contributed by the various adjacent local bodies. A detour route has been provided and a bridge on the detour has be6n specially strengthened by the Public Works Department to carry heavy traffic while the new structure on the highway is under construction. The Auckland Automobile Association has placed signs on the detour, but in the rain of last evening it would be easy for a motorist familiar with the road, but unaware of the blockage, to disregard the signs. The association will make arrangements to-day for adequate warnings to be erected.