The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday at Noon. TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1920. PROPOSED BRIDGE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 516, 23 March 1920, Page 2

The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday at Noon.

TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1920. PROPOSED BRIDGE.

"We nothing- extenuate, nor set down aught in malice."

By our report of the last meet ing of the Pukekohe Borough Council, published elsewhere, tt will be noted that the council intends to risk the Railway Department to build a new bridge, on an angle, from King to East Street, instead of widening the Manukau Road bridge as contemplated by the Department. This object has our hearty approval. Undoubtedly, from an engineering and every other rational point of view, the turning from KingStreet at right angles into Manukau Road and thence another almost immediate right angle tut'n to cross the bridge over the railway affords a deplorable exhibition of what may happen when sectional strife occurs in respect to public works. On the Pukekohe-Waiuku Road there are two right angles at similarly short distances, and everyone who travels that way remarks on the awkwardness and danger of the place (which by the way could be remedied without much trouble), but here in the heart of the borough is an infinitely worse arrangement for a main thoroughfare. If the county road referred to is faulty from engineering and traffic viewpoints, the borough combination of sharp angles, short straight leading thereto, and narrow bridge is an unmitigated botch. The population of the Franklin County, exclusive of the borough rml town , district ai-eas, must now be ovei i 10,000, and these, besides outside traffic, practically all use the road to the railway Station and King Street, so that the volume of traffic is vevy heavy indeed. It is remarkable that so few accidents have occurred thus far, but as the population is increasing all the time, and motor vehicles becoming more numerous, the need for a iationaily designed railway crossing becomes imperative. The council seeks the assistance of the Ftnaklin A. -ind •■ Society, and also the Pukekohe Chamber of Commerce in this matter, and we trust that both bodies will lend a hand with all the powers at their disposal. In view of the coming winter show, in addition to the autumn show, the A. and P. people will doubtless be especially keen on the new bridge project. The bridge must come, sooner or later, '.nd the obvious nolicy is to build it now instead of frittering away money on such patchwork as extending the width of the present bridge. In all probability tne Borough Council Will »e required to pay half cost, which ; expenditure would hi fully warranted. We awnt with interest the views of the Minister for Railways on the subject.

(The above article was in type for our last issue, but wSs crowded out until to-day. We are pleased to note that the Chamber of Commerce heartily approves of the scheme.)