TARANAKI HIGHWAYS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 86, 6 July 1928, Page 5

TARANAKI HIGHWAYS

THE YEAR'S WORK. ANNUAL REPORT OF COUNCIL CHAIRMAN. Tn the course of his report, presented at this morning's annual meeting of the No. 7 District Highways Council, the chairman, Mr T. M. Hill, stated inter alia: CONSTRUCTION. No. 1 Auckland-Wellington, via Taranaki —Government section : The erection of the Moka.ii! , bridge was completed during the year. A further 3 miles 27 chains of bituminous macadam pavement has been ]|aid about two miles south of- the Mokau River, and this will shortly be extended to the Mokau bridge. Inglewood County section:The Inglewood County Council has completed a further 2 miles 30 chains of bituminous macadam pavement, 1$ miles being north of Inglewood and 70 chains between Tariki *md Waipuku. The work is of a high standard, and this completes the bitumen surfacing of the whole of the highway in the county. In fact the highway is now bitumen-isurface continuously from the northern boundary of Inglewoou County to the southern boundary of this district.

No. 40, Ohura Road.—Government section : Three miles 50 chains of road has been either formed or re-graded 1 , and widened to 18 feet. The Whangfimompna County Council metalled 54 chains during the year. With the exception of eight miles on Pohokura Saddle the metalling is now complete to Tahora. General.—The work carried _out during the year is generally of a high, standard, and since the inception of the Main Highways Board much more attention has been given to super-elevation .and easing curves. Camber also, which has frequently been too great in the past, is now being reduced. Local bodies are enthusiastic about improving the standard of their work. •. • '■;<-■■;■

MAINTENANCE. No. 1, Auckland-Wellington via Taranaki.—Government section: On Mount Messenger 52 chains of road has been widened and bitumen surfaced, and nine chains has been widened and metalled. _ Inglewood County section: This section is now all bitumen surfaced, ,and maintenance has consisted of sanding the bitumeru in. hot weather, and patching' pot-holes and restoring the edges of sealed portions. Stratford County section:. This length, which is bitumen sealed, has been satisfactorily maintained_ during the year. There are no special features to report. Eltham. County section : 05 chains of bitumen-sealed read has been widened and strengthened with shoulders of bituminous macadam.. During the course of the work the camber of the road was reduced by raising: the shoulders., and this length has been trreatly ihmroved 1 . * Hawera County section: Extensive ' widening and strengthening of the dirface of this section, which is hitn-nien-sealed throughout, has been _etfeoted bv the addition of bituminous rttcadam shoulders 2 feet wide on each side of the road for a length of 180 chains. The road has th« s been widened to 16 feet, and the improvement is very marked a+M+fot d No. 40, Ohura Road: The Stratford County Council has surface-scaled 2 miles 29 chain s of. this highway beSSi Toko and Gordon Road, and has adequately maintained the byU aice of its section. The Whungamo--21 County Council has nianaanied it 8 section «f the road ***» Sources would pernut but he xoa, is hardly up to standard. TJna» tne section which was recommended for declaration as a Government xoad Z 'lieu of the declaration ot seconcku, highway. ._,, Mjn Government- section: lhc M Highways Board has maintained 1} i vi clav road, making good use Vf eS 1 /drae Tire whole of this /of a road drag. *-" D . , v ;,rhuLength is impassable dunng *«**» mouths, but the section--urg ent need of metalbng is the, eig miles between and Whan gamomona. Egmont.No. 41 ) Manaia : -Mount J the West ford CVmnties, » i» *» Rec . ti0 "' S B Cto"d County Council h*£ ine ow» ,| two sec hand the sealing ot tio i S ' 7 c) Stratford-ai>unake.- i T^ K °; \ Vountv Council has kfP 4 Stratford Count > /- dur ing this road m good co the yea.;, and h»» ons to . face-seahng oi. a *T ( r General: 1U _ —.

ing the highway in a satisfactory maniner, local bodies are making a, general effort to improve their standard. In the past insufficient attention was given to camber, super-ele-vation, curvative and widening at curves, but these defects are gradually being rectified on old bitumen surfaced roads, particularly in Hawera and Eltham Counties, and on new work they are not 'allowed to occur, i/ocal bodies are keen to improve the standard of their highways and have been taking full advantage of the Main Highways Board's subsidy to c*\rry out re-construction work. This is particularly so in Egmont and Inglewood Counties, while the Clifton County Council hones to commence the bitumen-surfacing ot its length next season.

THE YEAR'S WORKFollowing is a feef summary of work done during the year:. CONSTRUCTION. Formation or re-gnwling ; 4 miles 38 chains. Metalling, 54 chains. Bituminous macadam: 12 miles 15 chains. Bridges completed', I. Bridges in band, 4. Comparing this with last yea s figures it is to be noted that brtu-men-sealing is now regarded as maanlemmccand under that heading nearlv oi.rhfc miles of. new sealing was • t • +fc« tadded length of done, making the tadcleci it h. bitumen-surfaced road m the distrc proximately 20 miles, besies a fur S r seven miles widened and strengthened, and numerous minor improvements. MAINTENANCE. Th total length of higbway maintained was ,110 miles, and the expenditure was as Wlows: By Main Highways Board, £33, iW 16 Bv C lo«d bodies, £14,694 5s Bd. Tolld, £48,455 2s W« Average cost per mile: ,oa<U BW MJ : Ordinary main tag!"v»ys WCO.