MODERN HIGHWAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20087, 6 November 1939, Page 11

MODERN HIGHWAY

NEW ROADS OPENED

FINEST IN DOMINION ACCESS TO WELLINGTON OLD HAZARDS REMOVED (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The official opening ceremonies in connection with two of the greatest road works, from the point of view of advanced highway construction, in New Zealand took place to-day. The first is the completely transformed Ngaliauranga Gorge road, giving the main access to Wellington from the west coast, and the other the coastal road between Plimmerton and Paekakariki, cutting out tho 900 ft. climbs over the Paekakariki Hill, and shortening the west coast highway by some four miles.

The ceremonies were performed by the Hon. R. Semple, Mrs. Semple afterwards cutting the ribbon. Other representatives of the Government, officers of the Main Highways Board, Mayors and chairmen of local bodies in the Wellington district took part in the ceremony at Ngahauranga early this afternoon, where the work represents the most advanced road engineering job ever carried out in New Zealand or Australia. Four Traffic Lanes Power plant was used throughout. An enormous quantity of rock was ripped out and placed on the tortuous narrow road with its 48 bends. A magnificent divided highway' passes through the gorge on an even grade in practically two broad sweeps. Half a million cubic yards of rock was shifted during its construction in the past 15 months. The Plimmerton road was opened later. It follows the railway route from Paekakariki and is built up from the sea for several miles. Construction is not quite completed, but it is well ahead of the programme time. Its principle feature is the design of the sea-wall to turn back the heavy rollers from the west.

Associated with the Ngahauranga Gorge road reconstruction was the widening, banking up, and dividing of the main highway between Ngahauranga and Petone into one-way roadways, each providing two lanes for traffic, spoil from the gorge being used largely for the purpose. Savings by Machinery

Mr. Semple said that recent traffic tallies showed that (an average of 8500 vehicles a day were using tiffs road and the approach of the Centennial Exhibition, with the consequent influx of visiting traffic, demanded that there should be an improvement without delay. Wire cable and netting safety .V*;naes ;had been installed where required, a 1 Oft. cycle track has been retained on the seaward side, and between this .the reconstructed roadway is to be a parking strip. The Ngahauranga Gorge road provides four 12ft. lanes, two each way. Opposing traffic is separated by a raised 'strip with ishrubs planted along it. There are only five curves from Ngahauranga to Johnsonville, and a footpath lias been provided for pedestrian traffic! The total cost of the earthwork done by machinery was £85,460. Fly hand, it would have cost £225,000. The length is a mile and three-quar-ters, a shortening of the old route By 45 chains. The grade is one in 13 for 05 chains and then nearly level into Johnsonville.