MODERN HIGHWAYS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 January 1931, Page 3

MODERN HIGHWAYS

NATIONALISATION IN U.S

ENGINEEG’C TOUR.

CONCRETE FAVOURED.

“Nationalisation of the main arterial roads is now practically universal in the North American Continent, and in much in South America. Undoubtedly it is a plan that is ’ working most successfully,” said Mr A. 'lynuail, engineer to the Main Highway Board, who has 'returned from attending the International Roads Congress at Washington, in an interview oil Monday. While ill America lie covered many thousands of miles on a tour arranged by the Highways Education Board, and on a trip which lie himself undertook.

In a broad way, nationalisation was the outstanding point of difference in the highway policies of America and New Zealand, lie said. At the snirio time it was very necessary to realise that local government in New Zealand, particularly as concerned internal administration, was on a much higher plane than in America. It was on account ol this fact, and also tiecause of the great work done by local authorities in New Zealand during the past fifty years, that the secondary loads system in New Zealand was more extensive and distinctly better than those in almost any of the States m America. New Zealand had been aide to make very substantial progress with its highway scheme under tin l system by widen the Highway Board and the local authorities worked in co-operation, nut Mr Tyndall was satisfied that in the United States of America nothing like the same progress would have been achieved with a similar system. In other words, the less advanced and

more parochial system of local government in the United States of America was the principal factor in bringing about nationalisation of the arterial lighways when the rapid developmentof the motor vehicle forced an equally rapid development of a system of paved surfaces.

ROAD SURFACING

“In the wealthier and more populated States in America there is no doubt that concrete is most favoured for roatf surfacing in arterial road construction,” said Mr A. Tyndall. He added that m many of the other countries that wen? represented at the conference, concrete roads did not enjoy anything like the -same popularity as in thcU.S.A., wni.’e for secondary road construction in America cheap bituminous construction was largely followed. The traffic on the secondary roads m America was very similar to that on the main roads in New Zealand, he said. Enlarging on road construction work' ;n the U.S.A., Mr Tyndall mentioned that there were 3,024,233 miles of roads in the country of which 662,435 miles were surfaced with gravel, stone, tar, bitumen or concrete. Of til is mileage less than 60,000 miles were surfaced In concrete. In New Zealand there was a total road mileage of 48,000 miles, of which nearly 30,000 miles were surfaced with gravel or something better. 'There was only one State in America that had a greater proportion of its roads surfaced than did New Zealand— Indiana—and there were only four .States of the 48 that had a greater actual length of surfaced mileage. When New Zealand’s main highway scheme had been in operation as long as schemes had been operating in America it would hear very reasonable comparison. Most of the highway departments there mid been in existence for 10 or 12 years, whereas in New Zealand the scheme had been going for only 0 years. As far as total expenditure per head on road construction was concerned, m 1929 about 15 of the States spent les-, per head than New Zealand, while in 35 i of the States the expenditure had been greater. One State had spent Runtimes the amount New Zealand I'd.

BE A UTI FIG ATI ON SC II EM ES

According to Mr S'. Eckels, chief engineer of Pennsylvania, who addressed the annual session of the Amerian Association of State Highway Officials in Pittsburgh recently, the beautification of highways will lie the greatest single factor to stimulate travel for pleasure since the organisation of improved liigii ways.

‘ For every mile of highway fittingly beautified we can show a definite increase in the use of the motor-car or the pleasure of motoring, with a consequent increase in business in general and an added appreciation by the user of j the fine work of the builder,” lie said. ■ “But aside from this strictly material consideration it would certainly not he out of place to observe that good craltmanship deserves its appropriate background. The modern high-speed, unproved grade, permanent type of pavement. such as is now being constructed in my own and many other States, represents the last word in the highway builders’ craft. It is as thoroughly deserving of a beautiful setting as is any precious stone of the finest water, cut to perfection by a master hand.’*