The Dominion THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1920. BETTER ROADS AND STREETS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 201, 20 May 1920, Page 4

The Dominion THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1920. BETTER ROADS AND STREETS

* In the report to the City Council in which he sums up his observations during his recent visit to Europe and America, the Oity Engineer (Mr._ W. H. Mortoh) raises some very important questions relating to road and street improvement. His remarks ought to serve a useful purpose in emphasising the fact that there is much to be done in this country not only in bringing city thoroughfares reasonably into line with modern standards, but generally in improving the traffic highways which evidently aro destined as_ time goes on to take an increasingly important place in the national transport system. If it is necessary to look abroad for_ sound guidance in the matter of improving city streets, the same course is not less urgently called for in the interests of the progressive improvement of arterial roads. In view of the development of the motor vehicle, these highways promise to become hardly if at all loss important as transport links than the main railways. It, of course, goes without saying, however, that systematic improvement of the main roads is an essential condition of the full realisation of their traffic possibilities. Tho Public Works Department has and will have a manifest duty in this matter even while tho maintenance of main roads is left in the haud's of local authorities. There is no doubt that much of the work of constructing and maintaining roads in this country proceeds on somewhat haphazard lines and by rule of thumb methods, and it is likely that many ill-made roads are costing much more (when account is taken of upkeep as well as first cost) than would roads of a better type. Apart from the questions of control and financial liability that have been raised in recent times, and arc likely to be raised again when! Parliament meets, there is apparent need of the collection by a central national authority of comprehensive data relating to road construction and maintenance. A systematic examination of local conditions and of the latest developments in road engineering would make it possible to say exactly what type of road would best and most economically meet the ascertained requirements of traffic over .a given route. If the Public Works Department is at all in a position to provide expert advice on these lines, there is little enougb evidence of the fact in the roading methods prevalent throughout the Dominion. As far as can be judged these methods, as a rule, are primitive and largely ignore _ modern developments, and it is fairly obvious that bad roads entail an annual expense which in part would be escaped if bettor methods prevailed. The institution of an enlightened roading policy ought the more to commend itself since with such a policy in operation it would be possible to look to a new source of revenue for road-improvement purposes in the taxation of motor vehicles.

On the facts in sight, the Public Works Department would be well advised to follow the example in sound enterprise set by the City Council. No doubt the up-to-date experience ho gained in the course of his mission will assist Mr.. Morton materially in planning and carrying out various city improvements, and not least in relieving Wellington of the reproach that it compares unfavourably with nearly all the cities he visited as regard? its road construction. Such street improvements as he recommends, notably the paving of a considerable proportion of the business thoroughfares of the city with bituminous will, of course, entail aheayy initial expenditure, but tho City Engineer no doubt will he. able to demonstrate that improvement' on these lines' is warranted from the standpoint of economy as well as essential to meet present and prospective traffic conditions. The limitation of the dust nuisance is an important incidental benefit to be anticipated from the extension of street paving and the substitution of tarred for water-bound macadam in the less-frequented thoroughfares. Finance, doubtless; will be the limiting factor in carrying out such a programme of improvement as Mr. Morton has outlined, but it counts for something in this con> nection that the city is entitled to expect a fairly substantial revenue contribution, whether it is derived directly or through the agency of Parliament, from the taxation of motor vehicles. Some questions of detail arc still open in reference to this taxation, but it is clearly equitable that the owners of motor vehicles should contribute to the cost of maintaining and improving roads and streets.