CENTRAL OTAGO ROADS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26413, 18 March 1947, Page 7

CENTRAL OTAGO ROADS

Sir, —I think the Automobile Association is to be congratulated on its policy of trying to have Central Otago roads improved. All motorists realise that in parts of Central road? will always be tortuous; but let us have at least a decent surface which will make motoring pleasant and economical. The worst feature of the roads is the corrugations, which in places make motoring definitely dangerous, yet in some places, for example, near Waitahuna and about Manuka Gorge, corrugations are never bad. If the reason for this is the type of gravel used, then I think it is high time gravel from the best pits only was transported long distances, instead of the present policy of using unscreened river gravel and leaving motor vehicles and roadmen to throw the larger stones off the highway. On corrugated surfaces the motorist who happens to follow the Main Highways grader is lucky for he gets a gobd trip; but 24 hours later corrugations are as bad as ever. I should like to hear an engineer’s ideas on rooting up badly corrugated surfaces to allow the road to reconsolidate for I have a feeling that under present road maintenance policy many corrugations are never broken up from one end of the-year to another. Personally I think the motorists of Otago are not asking too much in pressing for a sealed highway from Dunedin to the Lakes. —I am, etc., March 15. Constant Traveller.