HIGHWAY COUNCIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 144, 20 June 1931, Page 16

HIGHWAY COUNCIL

NUMBER EIGHT DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETING jiHVIEW OF YEAR'S W<>l;K I The annual meeting of the No. Si Highways District Council was held yesterday, Mr I’. Keller (district highways engineer), presiding. The following local bodies were represented: Patea County, by Councillor tV. G. Belton; Wanganui County by < oaneillor D. Mackintosh: Waimarino County, bv Councillor C. H. Ball; Kangitikei County, by Councillor W. Dock: and Waitotara County by Councillor F. H. Allen. Messrs T. R. Lyth and R. Cade, of the Wanganui office of the Public Works Department, were also present. The following county engineers were in attendance: Messrs K. R. Dawson (Wanganui), T. Dix (Waitotaial, Hogg (Waimarino), and Row (Puteai. W. Morrison, a member of the Highways Board, was present in advisory capacity. The chairman extended a welcome to two new representatives, Councillors Allen and Ball, and also to Mr Morriton. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT. The chairman presented the following annual report which covered the work done in the district during the past year. CONSTRUCTION AND MAJOR . MAINTENANCE. No. 1 Auckland-Wellington, via Tarajujki.—Tho Patea County Council completed 3} miles of widening of the bitumen pavement from 12ft. to 15ft. and propose to continue this work until the whole of the county section of the highway has been widened. To date approximately 9 miles of this widening has been done. The Waitotara County Council completed 33 chains of heavy reconstruction work on Kai Iwi Hill, metalled 8i chains of the big through-cutting and filling at the top of the hill and bitumen surfaced 2 miles 77 chains between Goat Valiev and Kai Iwi. This council also carried out the engineering survey and prepared the necessary plans for the reconstruction of the AN aitotara Hill section, being a distance of 71 chains, prepared the plans for the reconstruction of 48 chains of the Okehu section for which an engineering survey was made last year, prepared plans for approval of the new bridge at Okehu, and hope to let contracts for widening end remetalling the two sections at an early date. In the Wanganui County the AVangaehu Hill, being a distance of 76 chains, was reconstructed and remetalled. The county council propose to bitumen surface this seclion next summer, thereby making the bitumen road continuous from Wanganui to Wangaehu. The Public Works Department carried out a preliminary engineering survey (30 chains) and prepared plans for the consideration of suggested alterna live routes and bridge sites at the Wangachu River. The Kangitikei County Council complete I 1 mile 8 chains of remetalling of the portion of the highway between Wangachu and Turakina, which was re constructed and partly remetalled the previous year, bitumen surfaced 3 chains in Turakina township at the junction of Turakina Cliff Road via Marton, and propose to proceed with the reconstruction of the section of road between Turakina and Bulls, if satisfactory financial arrangements can be made. In anticipation of work proceeding. the Council prepared the necessurv plans last vear. No. 43 Ball Road—The Patea County Council remetalled and bitumen surfaced 1 mile 20 chains of highway. This work necessitated a large amount of reshaping and strengthening of the existing surface and also included earthworks for bringing several curves up to standard superelevation and removing the peaks from vertical curves to im.prove visibility. No. 23 Buils-Taumarunui. —In February the Rangitikei County Council let a contract to a Napier firm for the construction of the Hautapu River bridge, Napier, and at the end of the year the foundations and the concreting of one of the piers was completed and the erection of the profiling was in hand. This county council also completed engineering surveys and prepared plans /or cutting Stantial’s corner at Crofton (22 chains) and the approaches (16 chains) to Hautapu River bridge, Taihapc. During February and March the Rangitikei County Council and the Waimarino County Council bad considerable numbers of men engaged under the Unemployment Board’s Scheme No. 5 in cutting back points, making up shoulders. etc., on several sections of the highway. Plans have been prepared by the Public Works Department for a new bridge over the Waitangi stream between Tangiwai and Waiouni, and it is hoped to call tenders for the construction at an early date. The Public Works Department completed the reconstruction of Tohanga Road deviation, which work was in progress at the eml of last year, and erected temporary bridges over the Makotuku and Heremaiea streams. The work done comprised 39 chains of heavy bushwork 66ft. wide and 58 chains of formation 24ft. wide. Plans and specifications for permanent structures at the two streams named and for the metalling of the deviation have been prepared and submitted to the Main Highways Board for approval. The department also carried out 3i miles of engineering survey for reconstructing the section of Tohanga road from Ohakune westwards to link up with the portion that has been reconstructed. No. 44 Kaharoa Road. —The Patea Count v Council completed 24 J chains ot new metalling which filled m gaps to make a long continuous section of metalled road, and hope *0 metal a further 30 chains during the current year. No. 45 Kohi Road. —The Patea

Countv Council reconstructed and metal-> ; led 46 chains of this highway and pro-1 , pose to do a further 40 chains during j this year. No. 46 Momahaki State Farm Road. — | . On this highway the Patea County t i Council reconstructed and metalled 1* i chains, thereby completing the unmctal , , led gap in the highway. The county j . council also remetalled and bitumen I surfaced (1 coat) 46 chains and were L applying the second sealing coat at the . close of the year. It is proposed to continue the work of remetalling aud | bitumen sealing as funds are made available. i No. 49 Raetihi-Ohakune. —The Make , tuku stream bridge in the Raetihi borough was completed in August, and the , approaches in the following month. This bridge is a reinforeed concrete struc ture consisting of two platform spans of 40ft. on concrete abutments and eon Crete central pier and is 18ft. wide between guards. i In the Waimarino County 30 chains : of bitumen surfacing near the Ohakune Borough boundary’ was completed, anil . one old timber bridge was replaced by a concrete arch culvert (50ft. x sft.). , No. 47 Rangitatau East and Water-1. shed Road.—On this highway the Wai-1 totara County Council completed 60 chains of base course of new metalling . and expect to complete the base course , of another 20 chains and the 80 chains of top course at an early date. In addition to this work the county council widened several sharp points between Bushy’ Park and Waitahinga, thereby greatly improving the alignment, and employed on the work about 20 men under the Unemployment Board’s No. 5 scheme. No. 367 Turakina Cliff Road via Marton.—The Rangitikei County Council bad a number of men engaged under the Unemployment Board’s No. a Scheme on the reconstruction of Gower's Hill, which work is estimated to cost £l2OO and is 23 chains in length. No. 48 Wanganui-Horopito. —Owing to unfavourable financial conditions the Wanganui County Council did not commence work on the remetalling and bitumen surfacing of the Wanganui East and Upokongaro sections for which money was voted last year. The Public Works Department carried out engineering surveys of the portions of the road from the Bth mile to the 14th mile and from the 35th to the 37th miles for the purpose of preparing detailed estimates of the cost of construction and with a view to determining the best means of improving the Wanganui County section. The engineering survey of the section from mile 14 to mile 35 was completed last year. Plans and quantities for about 10 miles of the work have been preparThe Prisons Department, under the supervision of the Public Works Department, Taumarunui, reconstructed and remetalled 3 miles 33 chains of the portion of the highway between Horopito and Tohanga road junction. -It is proposed to revoke the length ot this highway between Horopito and Tohanga road and include it in the Bulls Taumarunui highway as soon as the metalling and bridges on the Tohanga deviation have been completed. No. 363 Waverley Beach Road. —The Waverley Town Board reconstructed, remetalled and bitumen surfaced 19 chains of the section of the highway in the Town District, and the Patea County Council reconstructed 37 chains and metalled 32 chains of the county section. The County Council propose, should funds be made aavilable, to metal a further 20 chains and to remetal and bitumen surface 60 chains during the current year. The following is a summary of the principal construction works carried out oil main highways for the year: M. Chs. Formation and Widening .. .. 6 (I New Metalling “ Re-me tailing • • 7 44 Bituminous Surfacing (Sealing) 5 29 Widening Bituminous Pavement 3 20 (C arged to M.H.B. Revenue A/c) Engineering Surveys H Bridges General. —Towards the end of the year several local authorities employed, as mentioned previously, large numbers of men under the Unemployment Board s No. 5 on improvements to main high ways. Some of the works were of considerable magnitude. Maintenance. The principal work done under the above heading was as follows: - No. .1 Auckland-Wellington, via Tara naki. —Generally this highway has been well maintained by the several controlling authorities. The Patea County section. all of which is bitumen surfaced, is in good order, except where the shoulders of the road have woru down at the edges of the pavement. This local body is working steadily ou a programme of widening the 12ft. pavement I north and south of Patea, and during I the year brought up the shoulders ot a i number of places that had worn away The ordinary maintenance work included 6 u lies 20 chains of bitumen resealI ing and the resealing of 3 miles 40 i chains of shoulders widened previous years. I The bitumen resealing in Patea County was carrk d out by contract and the class of work is very satisfactory. Lt is suggested that other local bodies, particularly small local bodies with unsuitable plant and untrained staffs, might find it better and more economical to let bitumen coaling ami resealing work to expert contracting firms The Patea Borough Co u.nil rescaled I mile 51 chains of tho highway in the borough. The whole length of this highway within the boundaries of the Wayerlev Town District (21 chains 56ft. wide and 59 chains 12ft. wide) was resealed under contract. During the rescaling the opportunity was taken to generally improve the road by building up depressions and removing waves in the existing surface. Approximately 13 miles of the section in Waitotara County is now bitumen surfaced and is in good condition. Most of the remainder of the section consists of soft shell rock surfacing on which has been kept a thin running top of pea gravel, and excellent results have been obtained by this method of topdressing. The ironwork on the under-

side of the Waitotara River bridge war scraped and painted. The bituminous macadam length in the Wanganui County has been in vers good order during tho year, but the County Council has experienced difficulty in keeping the metalled section on the Wangaehu Hill up to highway standard owing to the increased motor; lorry traffic. Tho county engineer con j siders that it may be necessary to re seal about 3 miles of the county sec-1 lion during the current year. Tho Rangitikei County section of this highway has an excessive floating top of fine gravel, which, fails to consolidate and tends to render the road unsafe for light motor traffic. This local body carried out protective works at the northern approach to the Rangitikei River bridge for the purpose of check lug erosion. No. 43 Bail Road. —The work of maintaining this road, which is in the Pate i County, included extensive metal patching and repairs to bitumen surfacing. No. 23 Buils-Taumarunui* —The Man gaweka Town Board gave special attention to the section of highway in th*town district and propose to submit pro posals at an early date for bitumen surfacing. A considerable amount of work such as top dressing with grit and line gravel, widening sharp points, superelevating curves, etc., has been carried out. out by the Rangitikei and Waimarino County Councils, aud the sections oi highway in the two counties have been kept in fair order. The Waimarino County Council also placed on 36ft x 36in. concrete pipe culvert near Horopito. Tho Prisons Department adequately maintained the section between Horn pito and the Manga nui-a-te-io rtream. and propo-e to catry out a f-i’.r amount' of boxing in of the metal and a certain amount of top dressing. The Ohakuno Borough Council has found it an exceedingly difficult matter to keep the borough section of the highway up to highway standard. At present* it is not in good oruer, and requires scarifying and reshaping. The small "local bodies not mentioned above carried out general maintenance on their respective sections, which are in fair order. No. 366 Curl’s Bridge-Upper Tutacnui.—The Rangitikei County Council re gularly graded the county section with a power grader, remetalled sections and super-elevated curves, and the Marton Borough Council rescaled 1 mile 40 chains in the borough. No. 44 Kaharoa Road. —Apart from ordinary maintenance the work done on this highway comprised tho re-shaping and strengthening with new metal of 1 mile 20 < >s. and the Patea County

Council p.. -se to remetal and bitumen seal a further 1 mile 40 chains during the current year. No. 36S Murray’s Track.—The Rangitikei County Council maintained 10 miles of highway. The work included the widening at sharp points, metal patching and super-elevating curves. No. 49 Pipiriki-Raetihi.—The traffic on this highway has been fairly heavy during tho last two years, and rhe unmetalled section, although in fair order during the summer months, has been impassable for motor cars during wet weather. The work carried out by the Waimarino County Council included 2 miles of grit surfacing and 150 lin. ft. of 9in. and J2in. concrete pipes laid and repairs to the Kaukore and Man goihe stream bridges. In addition to the grit surfacing referred to, the council has re-conditioned 1 mile 20 chains of the road which had faLen so badly into disrepair that the original metal had well-nigh dis tppea-red. No. 49 Raetihi-Ohakune. —The sections of road in the Raetihi Borough and in the Waimarino County were well maintained and are in fair order, but the Ohakune Borough Council has not been able to keep the borough length up to highway standard. The work carried out by the Waimarino County Council included the repairs to the Makaranui Stream Bridge and grit surfacing over a considerable length of road and 30 linear feet of 36in concrete pipe culvert placed. No. 369 Raetihi-Ohura. —The Waimarino County Council maintained 7$ miles of highway, the work done including 3 miles of grit surfacing and improvements to the formation. The County Council propose to renew two small bridges during the current year. No. 51. Taihapc-Napicr.—Th 3 Rangitikei County Council maintained 20 miles of this highway, which has been in good order. The wcr< done ".Deluded the re-metalling of a considerable length. No. 367, Turakina Cliff .Road, via Marton.—The Rangitikei County Council re-metalled portions of this highway, top-dressed other sections with chips and super-elevated curves. The Marton Borough Council rescaled with bitumen and coated with chips 1 mile 35 chains of tho portion of the highway in the borough. No. 48. Wanganui-Horopito. —Approximately 20 miles of tlio Wanganui County section has been scarified, reshaped. and rolled during the year, thereby making a marked improvement in the running surface and the County Council propose to re-surface with fine gravel at an early date the portion oi highway from the 28-mile peg to the county boundary. The whole of the county section has been in f air order save that some portions developed pot holes and short lengths oecamj coirogated towards the end of rhe year. The Waimarino Coa7i*y se'd.on was kept in fair order until towards the end of the year, when 'onie portions suffered for want «/f prope’ maiitenance. The work done on .ie county section consisted of the widening at points and super-elevating curves between Raetihi and the Raetihi-Ohura Highway, 3 miles of grit surfacing and the placing of 100 linear feet of 9in concrete, pipes. No. 50, Wanganui-Karioi.—The 5A anganui County Council expended a considerable sum of money on the maintenance of this highway, which is at present in very fair order. The work done included the re-surfacing with sehll rock and fine gravel of about 6 miles of the portion south of Mangarnahu. The two miles of bitumen surfacing near the Wanganui City boundary is in excellent condition, and should not need much attention for one or two years. Tho metalling of tho unsurfaced gap on the continuation of this road north <>(' Mt. A'iew, which is tho present limit I <>f the highway, has recently been com- ’ plcted by the Public Works Dcpart- ’ mcnt. so it is anticipated that winter I traffic will increase considerably there I by. necessitating a greater expenditure on maintenance. The fourteen remaining highways in (he highways district were well maintained by the controlling authorities and at, tho end of the year wero in fairly good order. Generally, the maintenance work of tho local bodies has kept up to the standard of recent years, and every I effort is being made by the executive

officers and staffs to comply with the methods advocated by tho Highways Board. In conclusion I desire to express my thanks to all local authorities for the excellent co-operation that has existed between their officers and the officers of the Dopaitment.