BOROUGH HIGHWAYS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5240, 17 February 1928, Page 2

BOROUGH HIGHWAYS.

THE WORK OF SURFACE-SEALING-SPLENDID PROGRESS MADE. On Monday piorning a start was made with the bituminising of lower Belmont R>au from near the Paeica Hotel to the intersection with Taylor’s Avenue and Puke. Road. That portion fronting the Paeroa Hotel, for a distance of about 11 chains, is receiving special treatment. For an ave.age width of 38ft the surface is receiving the bitumen by a I‘giit pener tration method. Owing to the heavy traffic on that area, and the nature of the foundation, it was deemed advisable to give special treatment in preference to the surface-sealing method. After sweeping the street clean a layer of one and a. half-inch metal is put down evenly ail'd then bitumen sprayed, after which a coating’of %-inch metal is spread'and rolled. A second spraying of bitumen is then applied and’ the surface finally dressed with %-inch metal and thoroughly rolled again. In the opinion of the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall), who is superintending the work, the job should result in a permanent surface for some time to come, and in any case the cost of maintenance should be very little. Five drays, 17 workmen, and machintery. are engaged, on the work, and satisfactory progress is being made. While tlrs work is being done the street has been dosed, 11 and all. wheeled traffic is diverted down William Street, via Railway Street, to Puke Road, or William and Albert streets; via Rye Lane and Seymour Street to Taylor’s Avenue. On Saturday afternoon; the surfacesealing of Waihi Road from the Bank of New Zealand to the borough boundary, near Mr G. Buchanan’s garage, was completed, and the level, hard surface .is being availed of by motorists as a speedway. The pace at which’ many motorists drive over the new work *is, to say the leaist, disconcerting and unreasonable, x

During the last three -months, the surface sealing from the main streets to the borough boundary has been completed on the' Te Aroha, Waihi, and Thajnes roads, and , v’si ting motorists especially have spoken eulcgistically of the enterprise and wisdom of the burgesses in authorising the council to; conistruct such good highways into the town. In addition to the work already referred to, Moore Road from the railway station to upper Hill Street has been* surface sealed. The; stretch treated is about 16 chains, and at the rear of the station the width of road treated is about 40ft, while the balance has been done to a width of 38ft. ■ Oh the completion of lower Belmont Road the plant ;ahd staff will, be transferred, to Puke Road, which .will be surface-sealed to the borough boundary, near Whitmore’s drain;