IS AMBITIOUS

NZ Truth, Issue 1272, 17 April 1930, Page 18

IS AMBITIOUS

Uruguay Introduces Concrete Roads

THE farsighted policy^ adopted by 1 the South American Republic of Uruguay m developing >its road construction programme should be an object lesson to many > other countries faced with similar problems. In recent years, Uruguay has turned to motor transport as -a means of escaping high railroad' freight rates, and, as a consequence, has made great strides m highway construction. Argentina is .similarly; handicapped as far as freight fates ■ go, but opposition on the part of the railroads and ranch owners has been too powerful for her to adopt any drastic- measures m regard to road construction. . Because Argentina is hampered by a laqk of good roads .for its many motorists, Uruguay,, which is just across the River Plate, is reaping the benefit of its neighbors love of gaiety and pleasure. Uruguay ;is a -summer resort with many of the attractions ofMonte Carlo. / Tourists flock here not only because of the ocean bathing and rattle of the roulette wheel and gay casinos, but because they can also . depend on some good touring along modern concrete highways. Although the Uruguayan road is only beginning to. get under way, the national system already comprises 802 kilometres, nine-tenths of which is im-. proved with high-type pavement, ranging from asphalt dressing to concrete. ' . The popularity of concrete m Uruguay is largely due to the fact that the country has limestone quarries that yield the- raw material necessary for domestic production.' Concrete first was tried out for paving purposes no more than six yeajrs ago when a sample stretch of street pavement was laid m the city of Montevideo. j j