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Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1938, Page 23

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

HEAVY MAINTENANCE COSTS

One of the problems following from the closing of the .Ngahauranga Gorge Boad—a problem which was, of course, foreseen—is that of maintaining toads and streets used as alternative approaches to the city, for though the surfaces were adequate for local traffic they were not laid down for heavy duty. The Makara County Council made to the City and Suburban Highways Board yesterday that it should be relieved of its contribution towards the cost of upkeep of the Gorge Road in view of the heavier costs to be met on other roads within its territory. Something over £100 is at the moment involved, but after a round-table discussion the county's representative on the board, Mr. R. Mexted, agreed that the contributions on the old basis snould be continued and that the levies in respect of the Gorge Road should be pooled and used for the upkeep of alternative road surfaces. The City Engineer, Mr. K. E. Luke, said that the Public Works Department j had agreed to maintain Wakefield Road, and in reply to Mr. E. Palliser; said that he could not say in £ s. d. j what the additional maintenance costs on alternative roads would be, except that it would be considerable. Mr. Palliser said that he thought the Onslow Road had showed signs of the extra traffic within two or three weeks of intensive use. Maintenance on macadam surfaces was very heavy in the Makara area, said Mr. Mexted. Bitumen and sealing seemed to be standing up well enough, but Makara had no bitumen on its side and approach roads.