AN IMPORTANT HIGHWAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16201, 26 November 1926, Page 7

AN IMPORTANT HIGHWAY

ACCESS TO BAY OF PLENTY THE WAIOEKA ROAD (Special to the llerald.) OI'ATI VALLEY, this day. The visit of the Main Highways Hoard !to this district early in the week recalls the importance, of the main arterial roads of the area. The board, recognising the disabilities under which iPoverty Bay has boon working, determined to gain first-hand knowledge of ils needs, and it was only unfortunate that there was insufficient time at their disposal to allow them to inspect the Waioeka road, which eventually may become a main highway between Gisborne and Opotiki. The experiences of the last few months with the Motu-Opotiki road, and tin constant traffic delays owing to slips, have demonstrated the necessity for ar. additional link between Poverty Hay and the. Bay of Plenty. The fact that the grade on the Waioeka road now being formed, is infinitelv better than that on the Motu-Opotiki road, would lead one to the belief that it would provide the most satisfactory route. Within two years it could be completed and metalled 'to a state of efficiency equally as good as most of the highways in the district, and it is probable that its maintenance would present fewer problems than does the maintenance of the Molu Opotiki road.

DANGER OF SUPS.

It is. true that for some years there will b e a dangeA- from slips, and minor slips are constantly coming down on the road. Once the steep faces settle, however, slips should give much less trouble than on the other route and there is much less danger of the road itself slipping right away. Some trouble also, doubtless, would be experienced from the Opati river, which might wash into portions of the road. Engineers, however, contend that the construction of groynes at weak corners would solve this problem. There are. two factors much in favor of the Waioeka road as compared with the present road, these being distance and grade. The new route would be 12 miles shorter than the existing highway, an important factor, but the outstanding feature is that there are no steep grades. There is a steady rise from Matawai for a distance of six miles,- and a gradual drop for a further three miles. Thereafter the road poetically follows the river, being a level grade all the way. COMPLETION OF WORK.

Some time ago the farmers in the district made a move to have a new stock route formed to the Bay of Plenty via Mangapohatu, but the reply received from the Public Works Department was that when the Waioeka road was completed there would bo an additional outlet. It would seem, therefore, that the Department recognises the need for completing the work. The present contract will be finished in March, so that the Department will have to call tenders early in the New Year if the men now employed on the job arc to remain there.

Mr. K. 8: Williams, Minister of PublicWorks, is thoroughly alive to the importance of the road, aiid in the near future will probably visit the scene of the work.