EAST COAST HIGHWAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 4

EAST COAST HIGHWAY

RAFID IMPROVEMENT SUBSIDENCES FILLED IN A rapid improvement in the condition of the East Coast main highway was reported by the resident A.A. patrol, Mr. 1). AlcGregor, when he returned to Gisborne yesterday afternoon from a tour of inspection. Just- north of Tnrehaua, he said, the contractors were operating a mechanical shovel, which was at work easing back an awkward corner. The spoil from this work was being used to fill out the shoulders of the road trom that part back to the bridge.

At the Three Bridges, Te Arero, the dragline obtaining shingle from the river was working satisfactorily now and the correct angle and quantity of water had been gauged in the operation of tire attached screw washer. In addition to this, lorries were obtaining additional metal supplies from the river near the junction of the Waiau road and all this material was being placed on the roads. .Most of the road gangs were still employed in cleaning up flood damage, the water-tables being cleared with scoops.

About two miles north of Tokomaru Bay a 25yd. section of the road had subsided on a corner and the work of filling this in had been almost completed. Aten were at work on the Sugar-loaf Hill and it. was stated that- no movement had been noticed in this portion ot the road for some time. The men were filling in the old subsidence and again bringing it up to the former road level. WAIPIRO BAY BRIDGE The contract had been let within the past few days for the new bridge at Waipiro Bay and the Waiapu County Council had‘all the piles and material on the site. The contractor was expected to make a start with the construction of the bridge within the next two weeks. The patrol noticed that two of the bridges in the Waiapu County had had their hand-rails extensively smashed and on mentioning this fact to the county engineer, Air. A. K. Gilmour, he learned that the work of replacing these rails was to be proceeded with almost immediately. lie also suggested that the rails should receive a fresh coat of white paint for in their present condition the colour was inclined to blend too easily at night with the surrounding background. Ho thought- that the painting of the rails would go far towards overcoming this deception. Mr. Gilmour assured the patrol that the matter would receive attention.

At a point about three miles out of Tikitiki a short culvert had been giving trouble to motorists and the engineer said that this, too, would be -rectified. The culvert was marked by a white post, but the fact that it was situated in the centre of a dip on a corner made the position difficult for a motorist who was not. familiar with the road. Several accidents had been narrowly averted at this spot.