BITUMEN ROADING

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6441, 22 January 1924, Page 8

BITUMEN ROADING

WORK IN THAMES COUNTY CHANGE IN SYSTEM In view of the large amount of permanent roading to be commenced on the Plains in the near future, the report of the Thames County engineer on the progress of the work on the Kopu-Thames road, as presented at last Thursday’s meeting of the Thames Council will be of interest. The work of bitumen sealing the road has progressed as far as Hauraki road, but the question of metal supplies having become acute the engineer decided to cease work for ten days and run the whole of the quarry output on to the roadside. Approximately 500 yards have been dumped and the total quantity required is 1200 yards. With regard to the working equipment the engineer reported that a decided alteration in the method of working necessitated giving up the idea of a central position for the heating of the bitumen. The work is carried on by keeping the tanks up with the metalling, and it was found that this necessitates some alterations to the firing. At present the fire is on the bare ground, and this is wasteful on fuel. He recommended that iron grates should be fitted. These need only be large sheet channels, with a grazing at the front and perforated beneath to allow a simple flue to be cut. The fuel could be limited in length to three feet. He also recommended that tenders should be called for the supply of 400 or 500 tons of suitable burning material, to be delivered in advance of the work. If the length supplied is limited to three feet and the grates installed, he is confident that a very substantial decrease in construction costs will result. With regard to the supply of chips or shingle for the top-dressing. 500 yards of this will be required, and as the seal coat will be laid at the rate of 20 to 25 chains per day the supply will have to be fairly rapid. To acquire this he recommended an examination of the Pennies Bay shingle, arid if satisfactory that tenders be called for supplying this by scow or punt to Kopu, or, failing this, to call for tenders for supplying suitable material.

, The new bitumen will be to hand towards the middle of February, and arrangements should be made immediately to ensure a sufficient quantity of metal for the seal coat to be on the work.