ROADS IN N. Z.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1931, Page 3

ROADS IN N. Z.

; CHEAPER SURFACES NEEDED Thg-statcment that New Zealand is building,.Costly, roads long before the traffic warrants them was made by Mr H' F. Toogood, of Wellington, in reading '•a'-'|saper 6n “Economy in Road Ex■pepdituye,’” at' the annual conference of 'tne'- 'Jiitny Zealand Society of Civil Engineers last week. Examples of cheaper tyos of surfacing were given by Mr Toogood to point out the capacity of sealed surfaces:™ The L'Vatlverston-M a rtiiiborough highway bad a sealed surface that had been laid live years. Adequate precautions were taken witli the jtfravel surface before sealing was done, anti not one penny had been spent in maintenance. Where the foundations were faulty, repairs had been carried out, but the cost was negligent. *■ If sealed surfaces, said Mr Toogood, wfefe Y&pated at proper intervals, the road'ihvs a life ,of longer than fifteen years, and. .there, were instances ot roads; which were still satisfactory af+eiv'go of {use. - ,; v •; .■yjorries over eight, tons gross ••• io%^i ; airf3y^lid x rubber tyres on any Ibrtyysliould, in the opinion of the spaakcryPbo . discouraged. In time it miglit'be necessary to cope with heaviai£pi‘.dndre- intense traffic, but once Iffiving Secured' a base that warranted sealing,'; additional strength could be added by the use of suitable thickness fXfi- .i ■ . of bituminous - concrete wlier* Required. Tfidt’/wa.s .one way to economy, and siicfi rnetfiotls of construction would giye satisfaction to the taxpayer and would' be readily appreciated by tho road :uSer.' d " ; - ’ ‘•.‘The efforts of local bodies to over come'tlie. present economical crisis are ■ being hindered by the reckless expenditure that has occurred in the development of-motor transport,” said Mr A. J. 'Baker, inspecting engineer of the Public dVorks Department, who added that’the most effective way to safeguard the country’s investments was to control as far as possible the use, of roads by vehicles that had a destructive effect on them. Thq,...chairman, Air G. T. Murray, quoted reports to show that expenditure on roads exceeded financial ability, and that gravel or macadam on a suitable foundation was sufficient for all light traffic, that sealed surfaces were sufficient for ordinary traffic, and that bituminous or. concrete roads were only needed when the traffic exceeded, oii an average, 5000. vehicles a day. Air Andrew Murray, engineer to the W-arteiiiata ..County Council, emphasised' the advantages of cement penetration. By spraying ordinary macadam with, cement mortar and rolling, the mixture afterwards a reasonably permanent pavement was obtained at medium cost. Mr Murray said; that as. early , prejudice against cement penetration was overcome better and cheaper work would naturally result.