TWO NEW BRIDGES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19106, 29 August 1936, Page 15

TWO NEW BRIDGES

WAIKOHU STRUCTURES COMBINED ROAD AND RAIL BIG ROAD DEVIATIONS The Main fHighways Board has decided to . construct • two new bridges at Waikohu,' one -to obviate the present combined, road and rail-bridge beside the Waikohu station, -and the other to replace the present suspension bridge over Waihuka stream. -In addition, a-fairly long: road deviation is proposed in order to eliminate several railway crossings Ttas advice was -received -to-day by theJGisborne Chamber of Commerce, in response to representations' made by that body recently'. It is in the form 01 _ a letter from the chairman of (he Main Highways Board, -Mr. J. Wood, dated August 25. The letter states: — “At present proposals are being prepared for the replacement of the suspension* bridge near Waikohu. It may be mentioned That the proposal probably •will'take the form of an improvement from the south side of the Waikohu bridge and the construction of a new bridge parallel to the railway bridge. The - improvement also may include the elimination of several railway crossings.' Although the above letter does not describe the work very fully, it has been ascertained that the proposed deviation follows closely one that has been pressed by "-the Automobile Association (Auckland) for some time and will comprise approximately a mile -of new 7 formation and ; three badges. The alignment of theiroad will be practically straight. Th&mew formation work at'the Gisborne end (will start at the . top of the hill and -a cutting will avoid the present spiral to the first railway crossing, and the -road will carry straight on to the proposed new-bridge running parallel on the (south side of the present combined traffic and raiT bridge. The route will then go behind the Waikohu railway station and follow the general alignment of the lines to a point close to the present railway crossing neari the Waihuka School. Two streams, the'iWharekopae and W T aihuka, will require to be bridged and a portion of the flats to be crossed by the highway -will need to be raised'by fillings to overcome anv (possibility of flooding. Iti will be seen fsbat- the-proposod route will! eliminate-the use of the combined bridge arid the narrow suspension bridge crossing the Waihuka -Hiver * that is -at present a trial-for those using the highway. Ar.otSer ’feature of the new* work will be'-tho-elimination of two railway crossings.