MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD TOLD OF DISTRICT ROAD PROBLEMS

Wanganui Chronicle, 2 November 1950, Page 6

MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD TOLD OF DISTRICT ROAD PROBLEMS

Road Improvements

The alleviation of highway problems in the Wanganui and Waitotara counties was sought from the 'lain Highways Board yesterday when members paid a short visit to Wanganui. Due to the incidence of more pressing work, the board could assure little prompt assistance to the counties, but promised future consideration of their difficulties. Representations were made by county and Automobile Association (Wanganui) representatives for tne following proposals:— Wanganui County: The sealing of No. 855 highway (Wanganui-Kaua-ngaroa) for a length of 60 chains soon and for a total length or two miles and six chains when reconstruction work is completed by the county. Waitotara County: The resealing of two and a-quarter miles of the Wanganui River Road on which the original sealing is breaking up. The sealing of three miles of the | Blueskin Road from the State highway to Brunswick Road next year. Automobile Association: Improveprovement of two dangerous bends on Goat Valley Hill. Improvement ot a bad bend one mile south of Whangaehu, known as Windmill Corner. HOW REQUESTS FARED Briefly, the board dealt with the representations as follows: No. 855 Highway: Small annual grants should be available for progressive sealing. Finance for sealing of the 60-chain section may be available this year. Wanganui River Road: The Government representative on the District Highways Council, Mr G. W. Sampson, was asked to make maintenance sealing a priority next year. Blueskin Road: Will probably have to wait until next >ear for consideration. Goat Valley bends: The position will be investigated, but there is little likelihood of an early improvement. Windmill Corner: Beyond the erection of white warning discs, there M little improvement that can be considered in the near future. Putting forward the Wanganui County Council’s request for the sealing of No. 855 highway, the chairman, Mr A. H. Collins, said that a stretch of 2 miles 6 chains was unsealed, but major work going on on the highway would delay overall sealing. He recommended that 60 chains, which was not affected by this work, should be carried out as soon as possible.

Because of the amount of primary produce carried, the road was an important one, said Mr Collins. Last year 50,000 sheep and 3000 head of cattle had been carted on the road. One million feet of timber, much of it from outside the county, had also been carried over the road, and backloading to farms of produce and fertiliser was estimated at 2000 tons. Mr Collins estimated the cost of tne sealing of the 60 chains at £2200. The major construction work being carried out would cost £9300, exclusive of sealing. Speaking for the Waitotara County Council, the chairman, Mr G. Palmer, said the Wanganui River Road had been sealed many years ago and the surface was now breaking up. The council recommended that the application of a second seal be carried out next March. Reformation of the Blueskin Koan was being carried out and the council would be applying for sealing to be carried out at tbe end of next year, Mr Palmer said.

The Automobile Associations recommendations were presented by Mr S. A. Gibbons. Several accidents had occurred on two particularly bad bends on the Goat Valley Hill, he said.

One of them, an extreme horseshoe bend, seemed to trap traffic coming south and most accidents occurred on it. A number of accidents had also occurred on the Windmill Corner, one mile south of Whangaehu, and the association would like to see improvements carried out on this bend as weii as the other two. board chairman replies "On this occasion we have travelled over some roads that are definitely below standard for the traffic they carry,** said the acting-chairman ot the Highways Council. Mr Trevor Smith, replying to the speakers. "We 1 know you have some territory of the nature requiring attention, but we must not forget the demands of some of the principal routes of New Zealand.” Of the work which nas to be done on the No. 855 highway, Mr Smith said the board would be unable to n ake finance available for doing the job in one year, but, under a review of finances within the local highways council’s district, the sum of £2200 should be available within a few months. ’ "We are pleased to hear that aerial top-dressing is going on in that area,” Mr Smith said. "It is grand work indee 1 and production is going to increase greatly through it. We are also going to save much top-soil by doing it.” The Wanganui River Road was an asset which most be saved, Mr Smith stated. He advised the Waitotara County Council to apply immediately fcr the i esealing to be done, because it was essential maintenance. The application for sealing of the Blueskin Road would probably have to wait until next year for consideration, he stated. WOULD COST £lOO,OOO As the general improvement of theGoat Valley Hill to remove the dangerous bends would cost about £lOO,OOO, there seemed to be little the Highways Board could do, Mr Smith told the Automobile Association representative. Temporary measures would be investigated, however. The irr/rovement of Windmill Cor- < ner would also involve heavy expenditure which the board could not undertake at present, but the erection of warning discs might help, Mr Smith suggested. Support for Wanganui’s requirements in highway maintenance and improvement was forthcoming trom Mr G. W. Belton, counties represen- ' tative on the Highways Board. BIGGER ALLOCATION NEEDED "The Wanganui district has had relatively minor allocations for some j ears,” he said. "With big traffic, Wanganui needs a bigger allocation. If Mr Sampson does not put in for the work on the Goat Valley Hill he is not doing his job.” Touring through New Zealand he had seen other roads in less serious [condition, not as steep and with bends ' not as sharp as those on the hill, that had had work done on them, Mr Belton said. The Goat Valley Hill definitely needed improvement, but the cost was going to be great. Thanking the board for its visit to Wanganui, Mr Collins pointed out that not all the work on highways had been borne by the board. The counties had contributed a considerable amount, he said, and some of them were still repaying loans raised to carry out work on the highways.

"Particularly in this area,” said the board's acting-chairman. He was pleased to see that access for back-country farmers had not been overlooked, continued Mr Collins, for the primary producers were important to the national economy.

Endorsing Mr Collins’ remarks. Mr Palmer said the board's attitude to the primary producer was helpful. County councils were facing great difficulties through heavy traffic travelling at high speeds on their roads.