“BOTTLENECKS FOR TRAFFIC”

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28260, 24 April 1957, Page 14

“BOTTLENECKS FOR TRAFFIC”

Old Wooden Bridg es On Roads

The biggest bottleneck traffic in New Zealand was faced with today was caused by “dying bridges,” Major N. A. Rattray, representing the National Roads Board, told the No. 13 District Roads Council yesterday. “Some of the bridges throughout the country are 50 or 60 years old. The wood is dying and they are in a very serious state. “They are all starting to collapse now under the strain of time and modern traffic demands,*’ he said. He urged that council members continue the work they had been carrying out to ensure safe bridges in their district “I feel that reading projects may in the future have to be cut back. A great number of bridges will have to go through and the board’s revenue cannot be exceeded. We must live within our means, and that suggests that reading must be reduced to enable safety in bridgework. “Today, materials which were hard to get some. years ago are in good supply. Steel and cement is no longer a problem,’’ he said. . The allocation for county council bridge construction had increased from £170,000 to £ 400,000 ■ m three years, he said. He complimented the Waiparn county on its extensive bridging work. , ■ council then adopted the following resolution: ‘"That the National Roads Board ce asked to increase allocations for renewal of county om °f the seri01 these bridges in