The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1932. ROAD COSTING.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1932. ROAD COSTING.

A Conference was held at Wellington lately in regard to. the question of road costing. The Chairman of the meeting explained that the principal object of the Conference was to endeavour to establish a uniform system of costing with regard to road expenditure'; also the collection of a reasonable amount of traffic statistics to form a. basis for the proper study of road problems so that a maximum bonefit would result from the expenditure of the funds available. The Conference was attended by representatives of Civil Engineers Society, County Engineers,' County Clerks, Counties Association, Highways Board, Public Works and Transport Departments, the Government Audit Department and the Statistician. Apropos of the cost of roads, a protest lias -ntely been made from the far north of the Auckland province, that roads constructed there have been unduly expensive and far beyond the needs and resources of the district. There is a fetish of course for “standards,” and . with model specifications the desire is to have a uniform standard of road, according to the clasp hf work veeirod niews-san. The deiiiro of the Confciend? referred to, as explained: by tho Chairman, was to pdopt a proper method of '"sting and so save waste. .It was re ded that highway funds were trust lunch, and as such should bo used economically. To indicate more clearly the objects in view, it was stated if operating cysts of motor

vehicles were considered it would be found that by changing the surface of a road from gravel in its l ordinary condition, to what was termed tarsealed or dustless surface, a. saving in j operating costs of about £l2O per mi'lle per year, for 100 motor vehicles per clay'would follow. The view was expressed that as the community was now thinking in- pence instead of 1 pounds- as heretofore, the fullest information should tie available in regard to costs of both maintenance and construction. A series of resolutions were reached on the subject, the nipshot- being a draft from a wages sheet in which' full details were set out, and when coinp’Jcd in respect to each work, the result .would indicate the cost more- accurately than it is now possible to affrive.a-t. At the moment, all public works’ expenditure by local bodies is • suspended practically, but •in regard to construction, costs r.re estimated fn advance, and local bodies may not exceed the estimated .cost. Maintenance costs,, of ..course, cannot be averaged, but it should *be possible aftei* ’ascertaining the yearly outgoing for maintenance, to determine the cost per mile with a knowledge of the -length, of the road involved. While maintenance costs for a gravel road would be higher than for a tar-scaled work, the difference in capital cost has to be ta'-eh into account. The laying down of 9 tar-sealed road is another factor' in regsuJ to future cost,. Some such roads :, wave” more than gravel roads, and it ls- cheaper and easier to deal with the latter than the former. Costs depend 1 also on 'jthe proximity of repair material and the-.method adopted. Looking to experience generally on the Ooast ) the cost, of upkeep despite the volume of rainfall, is not unduly high. The dampness has - some value in consolidating .the i surface, and it is only in flood'time serious damage is done.