SITE SELECTED ALREADY FOR NEW TRAFFIC BRIDGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 55, 26 October 1949, Page 5

SITE SELECTED ALREADY FOR NEW TRAFFIC BRIDGE

That the Works Department in Wellington had already decided on the site of the new traffic bridge for Whakatane to be built beside the present structure, was revealed by the chairman, Mr J. L. Burnett, at yesterday’s meeting of the Whakatane County Council. He said he had been told this during a recent visit to Wellington. Where a bridge had been standing for some time the Department hesitated, when building a new one, to change to a different site. This was the main reason advanced, Mr Burnett told the Council. He had been told that such bridges became accepted by people over the years and a changed site would cause some inconvenience. Mr Burnett said he had pointed out that, if the new bridge were built below the Board Mills, the County and Borough Councils were willing to maintain the old bridge :for light traffic. If that were the case it had been suggested to Mr Burnett that the Department might examine the present bridge again and if it were possible, bring it. up to good repair for all traffic. However, the present —intention was to build a very much t: longer bridge alongside and south of the present structure, which would be dismantled. • Mr Burnett said that representations had been made to Wellington urging that the new bridge be built just below the Board Mills. ' It was pointed out to the meeting that at a previous visit to Whakatane the Minister of Works, Mr Semple, had said in the County Chamber that if local bodies agreed on a site they would probably get the bridge there.