FAIRLIE NEW BRIDGES AT ALBURY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21559, 23 January 1940, Page 3

FAIRLIE NEW BRIDGES AT ALBURY

Rapid Progress On Deviation Should Be Finished In A Month If the weather is good and materials arrive to schedule, the Albury deviation should be completed in a month’s time according to an estimate given by the overseer in charge of the work yesterday. At present there are 14 men on the job and the last span Is almost finished. The deviation will cut out the three narrow wooden bridges north of Albury. These bridges were erected temporarily during the depression and it was not intended that they should be in use until the present. They have stood well, although it is recognised that they are dangerous for a highway. Several accidents have occurred at this section of the road. The deviation leads off from the substation at Albury and joins the present road where it begins to run parallel to the railway line. Three bridges and a large culvert have been neces- j sary in the deviation which is only a few chains long. The two bridges near Albury are composed of two spans of 40 feet each and the '.hird bridge, nearest Fairlie, consists of one 40-foot span. On the 80-foot bridges the principal work remaining is the handrails. The 40-foot bridge will be completed within a week or two if steel for reinforcing comes to hand as required. Meanwhile heavy machinery is forming the road between the bridges. A 1 bulldozer and a 12-yard carry-all are in use and although they have been on the job just a little more than a * week they have made wonderful pro- ] gress. The new formation is several j feet above the level of the riverbed i and hundreds of tons of spoil are being brought into the construction of the new stretches of road. The job, which is being carried out by the Southern Cross Construction Co, has been put through in good time and progress in the last two months has been particularly rapid. No difficulty was experienced during the floods of last week-end as the stream where work was in progress was diverted to one of the other water courses. DOWNLANDS SCHEME The bucket ditcher of the Public Works Department has made its appearance on the main road below Cave again and is excavating for the pipe line of the Downlands scheme. It has been absent since the main line left the road at the deviation to the first reservoir at Sutherlands. PERSONAL Mr G. R. Berney, postmaster at Fairlie, who has been on annual leave has resumed his duties. Mrs H. L. Andrews, of Christchurch, is visiting Fairlie. Miss Barbara Cook, of Christchurch, is spending a short holiday with Mr and Mrs H. D. Muir, “Deepdale,” Albury.