Millions to be Spent on Bridges

Chronicle (Levin), 16 August 1949, Page 7

Millions to be Spent on Bridges

WELLINGTON, August 13. The huge bridging progranime facing the Main Highways Board and thc steps fo be taken were outlined by the Minister of Works (Mr Sempie). Bridges estimated to cost at least £5,000,000 sheuld be rebuilt within a reasonable period, he said. A three- 1 year programme of urgent and immediate works covets .the building of 250 bridges at . an estimated cost of £2,000,000. . r The Minister said a few highway bridges were built during the war and , the . Shortage of materials had been serious since then. Tlie position had been made more aeute by the tremen dous increase in heavy road transport. This tratiic had also inereased materially in weight. Since 1937 considerable iinportation of vehicles of more uian 10 tons gross laden weight had been permitted to meet modern transport demands. Many bridges had been badly dainaged and some had eollapsed under this heavy traffic. To meet this position timber strengthening, Bailey ijridging and every possible expedieiu nad been used. "The Main Highways Board liad been putting at least £500,000 a year on its estimates for bridging work. " said the Minister. ' 1 With the shortage of skilled manpower for country work of this kind, however, and the difficult position with materials, e.-s-peeially cement and steel, it lias not been found possible so far to carry outfullv even this fairly modest programme. ' ' 1 To meet emergencies and keep bridges open, repair * work has been oarried out as far as possible. Bailey bridging, costing neariy £100,000, ha? been bought from the army and from the Lnited Kingdom. By the use of this material many otherwise long and .nconvenient hold-ups and detours iiave been avoided._ In all, 27 bridges liave been temporarily replaced or hekl up in this way. " The Minister said evervthing possible had been done to build permauent bridges, as tliose over the Wairoa River, between Whangarei and Dargaville, the Hangi ti'kei Biver at Bulls, and the Ngaruroro Biver at Fernhill, and many other smaller but important structures had been built. A numbor of simiiar important bridges was in hand. N Of the more urgent works near Wellington that over the Raumahanga Biver at Mount Bruce was being built flus would l'eplace an old suspensio.i span wliicli badly restricted traffic loadings. Plans were also in hand to replaee the Ohau Iviver bridge, auother bottleneck to tlie operation of .goods trucks.