BIG PROGRAMME OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT APPROVED BY BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18546, 21 August 1928, Page 5

BIG PROGRAMME OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT APPROVED BY BOARD.

MUCH WORK TO BE DONE IN CANTERBURY NOW. Per Press Association.. WELLINGTON, August 20. An important programme of works, involving reconstruction and improvement of roads' adjacent to the larger centres of population in the Dominion, was approved at the monthly meeting of the Main Highways Board last It will be recalled that from the I •revenue available from petrol tax, the board is making subsidies up to £3 for £1 available for the reconstruction of heavily-trafficked highways adjacent to centres of population of six thousand inhabitants. The board recently had drawn up tentative schemes covering reconstruc tion adjacent to a large number of centres, and those were submitted to the District Highway Councils and the automobile associations concerned. The concurrence of the District Highway Councils and the automobile associations has been received in a number of cases, and programmes were approved at the board’s meeting, which has just concluded. The class of work varies from bituminous surface treated macadam and gravel to concrete, according to traffic density. In most cases the period for the programme is five years. Following are the South Island schemes: — HIGHWAY DISTRICT NO. 14. In that district a programme covering reconstruction in various classes of pavement has been approved, covering a length of nearly seventy miles during the next six years. Already work is under way between the Styx River and Chaney’s, on what is known as the Christcburch-Blenheim main highway. Tenders will shortly be called for reconstruction between Sockburn and Templeton. On the Christchurch-Akaroa main highway, tenders recently closed for reconstruction as far as the Halswell Post Office, a distance of approximately two miles and three-quarters. Other highways noted for reconstruction are;—■ Christchurch-Blenheim Main Highway—Christchurch City Boundary to Northcote Road, seventy chains. Chaney’s to Woodend and Woodend to Saltwater Creek —Thirteen miles sixty chains. Woodend-Rangiora main highway, four miles. Christchurch-Dunedin Main Highway —Templeton-Dunsandel, sixteen miles. Fairfield—Tinwald, six miles. Christchurch-Akaroa Main Highway —Halswell Store to Tai Tapu, seven miles and a half. Christchurch-New Brighton (Page’s Road), from City Boundary to New Brighton Bridge, one mile sixty chains. Ghristchurch-Lyttelton, via Sumner, Main Highway—Heatbcote Bridge to Maffey's Corner, one mile fifteen chains. Upper Riccarton-Arthur's Pass Main Highway, two miles. HIGHWAY DISTRICT NO. 18. Invercargill-Dunedin,—Bridge Inn to Woodlands, five miles and a quarter. Lorn e-Castle Rock —Lorrre Corner to Buxtqn Road, two miles and a quarter. Invercargill-Bluff, a length of twelve miles. Invercargill-Riverton Wallace town to Argyle Corner, two miles and a half. Kennington-Waikawa Kennington to Rimu, three miles. The board hopes to be in a position to complete schemes adjacent to other centres at an early date.

ASHBURTON TRAFFIC BRIDGE. The board has decided that the subsidy towards the cost of erection of the new traffic bridge at Ashburton on the Main South Road from Christchurch to Dunedin will be on the basis of £2 for £1 up to £IO,OOO, and expenditure above this figure will be subject to a subsidy of £3 for £l.