FOXTON SHANNON BRIDGE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3627, 19 April 1927, Page 2

FOXTON SHANNON BRIDGE

As previously mentioned, the Public AA r orks Department have accepted a tender for the erection of the Foxton-Shannon bridge. In addition. to the cost of the bridge (£19,842), the Department informed the Horowhenua and Manawatu County Councils the estimated cost of surfacing the deck with bitumen is £360. The estimated cost of the right bank bridge approach, Manawatu County, is £940, and the left bank bridge approach £2,680. This makes a total of £23,822 to be apportioned as follows: — Highways Board £13,562 Manawatu County £4,280 Horowhenua County £4,280 Foxton Borough ■ £BSO Shannon Borough £BSO Total £23,822 “The Foxton and Shannon Boroughs have agreed to contribute the fixed sum of £BSO each, but the first three items will be subject to slight alteration according to the actual cost of the work. Please let me know as soon as possible If your* Council agree to this apportionment. “The estimate of cost for the formation of the Manawatu County road approach is £2700 and for the Horowhenua County road approach £5400.” The District Engineer desired to have an assurance from the Council that a contribution on a £ for £ basis would be made on the approach road. A tracing of the. proposed work shows three alternative routes leading to the new bridge site. These are: — No. 1. —From the Palmerston Road and Railway on the north side of Shannon. No. 2.—From Sheehan Street, in Shannon. No. 3.—From the corner of Johnston Street and the present Foxton road, at the south end of the borough. Ik ° j* The route upon which the e£Jiniate of £5400 is based is understood to be No. 3. Discussing the correspondence at the last meeting of the'Horowhenua County Council, the chairman (Cr. Monk) said the fact that the contract had been let, for the amount stated was quite satisfactory to the Council and, lie thought, to the people concerned. He was concerned, however, with the high cost of formation of the approach road on the Horowhenua County side. There would be 50 chains of construction at £5400. He was not satisfied that it should cost that much. The County engineer (Air. Anderson) informed him that his land was quite solid, in fact some of it had- been ploughed. Before entering into the agreement, absolutely, lie thought the council should refer the proposal back to the District Engineer, with a request to furnish details as to how the estimate for the approach road was arrived at. Cr. AVhyte said he did not think the County was expected to pay £ fo r £ on the formation of that road He asked which route would be followed. The chairman stated- that it would be the third route —from the little bridge on the Shannon Foxton road. Cr. Whyte: If they take it from there, they are making a great mistake. The right road is straight down from the railway line ,No. 1 route); but the Shannon people object to that on account of the traffic. He would be against granting £ for £ for a road that would not be the best route. The road was flooded there for some months, a while ago. Cr. Jensen asked if the contribution would be borne by the riding fund, and the chairman replied in the affirmative. The large bridges in the county' were fairly evenly distributed among the ridings. On the motion of the chairman it was decided to refer the matter back to the District Engineer, with a request for informatiin as to how the estimate of cost of the approach road was arrived at. MANAWATU COUNTY / COUNCIL’S ACTION. The Manawatu County Council, after discussion at its last meeting passed the following motion: “That this Council agrees to the apportionment of cost of the Shannon bridge and approaches as set out in the district engineer’s letter of April 4, but that the Council is of the opinion that the estimated cost of construction of approach road is excessive and that further information be obtained on this matter.”