WEST COAST BEACHES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21555, 28 July 1933, Page 8

WEST COAST BEACHES

IMPROVED ROAD ACCESS ROUGH CONDITIONS REMOVED The state of the roads leading to the West Coast beaches, where splendid surf bathing may be obtained, has long been a reproach to Auckland, but the excellent work done during the past two years has so improved the condition of theso roads that they now compare favourably with many of *the metalled highway? of the province. There is now good road access to Piha and Karckare, and within two months the new metalled routo to Bethells should bo ready for traffic. The work of regrading and metalling the Nihotupu lioad to Piha has been almost completed, although ono or two short sections remain to bo widened. This road gives easy access to the extensive flat at the Piha Beach. A largo gang of relief workers is now engaged making an extension of this road to the bays beyond the settlement and already about three-quarters of "a milo of grading and formation has been is not intended in the meantime to metal this section, but it is possible a further half milo of the extension may be undertaken this year, the ultimate object being to carry tho road northward to Anawhata. Good progress is being made with tho improvement and metalling of the road from the Waitakere Railway Station to Bethells. The work being done is on the section between the junction with the Swanson Road and the beach. Heavy blue metal is being hand packed on the new formation and a surface coating of smaller metal is to bo rolled in. Tho metalling has now reached a point less than three miles from tho beach. ■ Another useful roading work now in hand is tho improvement of MeElwain's Road leading to Anawhata. Work has been started on the Nihotupu end of the road and a relief camp has been established about a mile and a-half from the junction. The formation has been done along this section and the men aro now opening a quarry near the camp. Continuation of this rouU> to Anawhata and its junction with the extension of tho Piha Road would make possible an attractive round trip drive from Nihotupu to the West Coast beaches.