NEW OPIHI BRIDGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13680, 24 August 1908, Page 6

NEW OPIHI BRIDGE.

IN REINFORCED CONCRETE,

A special meeting of the Levels County Council was held on Saturday afternoon. There were present, all the. members except Air Mee. The purpose of the meeting was to consider a recommendation from the Qeraldine County Council that a tender for the erection of a new bridge over the Opihi on the main road be accepted, the material to be ferro-concrete. The two Counties share the cost, bnfc the" Geraldine Council has control of the work.

Mr John Talbot, chairman, . and Mr Marehant engineer, of the. Geraldine Council attended the meeting, and explained the Geraldine Council's view of the mattar.

It was unanimously resolved on the motion of Messrs Mahony and Garrick — " That this Council endorses the action of the. Geraldine County Council in accepting the tender of Hall Brce. for the construction of a bridge over the Opihi on the main road at the price of £9500 in reinforced concrete." It was also resolved to' recommend to the Geraldine County Council that the county chairman be appointed to approve of the sureties to be named by Hall Bros. Mr Marehant submitted soma figures to show that, a concrete bridge at £9SOU would' be a considerably less burden on the ratepayers than a v wooden one at £7OOO, because of the necessity for providing a sinking fund in the latter case, and for two re-deckings during the 40 years the bridge might be expected to last. The calculations woi<ked out in tliis way : Timber bridge, interest at 4 per cent, on £7OOO for 40 years, £11,200; sinking fund as per tables £74 per annum, £2960; interest for 13 year 3 on £ISOO £6O; sinking fund to reproduce £ISOO in 13 years, £94; ditto for third term of 13 years, £154; total £18,164; average per annum £454. Reniforced concrete, bridge—lnterest at 4 per cent, on £9500, £380; no sinking fund required to rebuild bridge: maintenance of road metal surface, £ls a. year; total cost £395 per annum. The difference would mean a saving of £s9 say £6O a year, and allowing compound interest on this the difference at the end of 40' years would be £5600 in favour of eor.crete. RAINCLJFF BRIDGE. Mr Talbot then introduced the question of strengthening the Baineliff bridge (another joint county liability) to enable it

to cavry ; traction engines. Mr Marchiint saiit this bridge (540 ft. long in 27 spans' of 20ft., and lift: wide), was. built in: 1886 to • carry 2-ton ; diay loads,, with ironbark piles and kauri (Superstructure.' The timbers appeared to he all sound still, ■- but they were : not fit to carry traction engines with 5 tons on each driving-wheel, especially as the wheels did not "travel over the stringers. He recommended blocking up beneath the.; decking .two ironbark or jarrah stringers, strong enough to carry, engines. The al- - of (making ■, a lord for engines would be unsatisfactory na it was a bad place,' and. a ford • would coot -- mora to maintain "than the interest, on .the cost of strengthening the . bridge.... Besides, even if a ford was provided, it would • ba diffi-cut-to keep engines off the: bridge, and engine traffic must, surely wreck ; it./somf. day. The Levels Councillors agreed: that it was necessary to .strengthen the. bridge, but ■as the matter ... had only ■ now., been brought, before them, and this was a special . meeting, they preferred to.- postpone the passing of a, favourable resolution till the Council's next ordinary • meeting. The conference. then closed, .