HIGHWAY TO WAIROA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18918, 21 January 1936, Page 11

HIGHWAY TO WAIROA

HANGAROA IMPROVEMENT

WORK WELL FORWARD

HARRIS’ MILL LAST STALE

The work of recoristructing sections of tho main highway to Wairoa, via Hangaroa, is well forward, and theHarris’ Hill section should be completed by the end of this week. Gentle. Annie work may extend until next summer if wet weather intervenes, hut before winter sets in Gisborne should have an excellent alternative route lo Wairoa and a shorter road to Wnikaremoann On Harris' Hill the bottom course metalling was completed last- week, ami the lop or binding course is being pur on now. The bonds on this hill have been, straightened and grades eased where possible, the. result being a grout improvement for motor traffic. This work has been done by the Public Works Department, and the district engineer. Mr. 0. G. Thornton, stated (lint when the whole of the road is completed if. should be equal in most respects to the Aforero route. The Gentle Annie Hill section is (he more costly of the two jobs, and in all about £20,000 is being spent there. The Harris’ Hill reconstruction involved about £IO,OOO. Trouble was being experienced on Gentle Annie during the wet weather, but later in tho season attempts will be made Lo avoid leaving any length of road unmetalled. The Cook County engineer, Mr. K. F. Jones, who is in charge of this section, stated to-dav that from the beginning of 'February the contractors would follow up the earth work with tho metal, and so reduce car trouble to a minimum.

In the meantime, improvements will bo continued on tho Morerc route, but no interference with traffic is intended. Much work has been done already in straightening the alignment of tho road over the Wharerata, and in continuing this it is hoped to keep the road open.

WORK ON COAST ROAD

1.1 MILES AT POUAWA

Reconstruction of a further mile and a half on the Coast road between Gisborne and Tolaga Bay is intended this summer. Tenders have been called for the reconstruction of the Pouawa section, a distance of a little over a mile and a half. The work will commence in the vicinity of the Pouawa bridge, and extend along the Pouawa Stream. Jt will take iu a short stretch before the road leaves the beach to strike inland from a point 12J, miles from Gisborne. It is hoped to let the tender and make a start with the work before the end of next- month. The contract advertised at present is for reconstruction and metalling only, and doe 3 not include bitumen penetration. This is contemplated in a separate contract next summer.

The deviation behind the Tatapouri Hotel has been completed so far as the earthwork and metalling is concerned. It will be left now until it is sufficiently consolidated for the application of bitumen.