LONDON’S FORD BRIDGE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9076, 17 February 1908, Page 4

LONDON’S FORD BRIDGE.

On Saturday Messrs Brown and Smith, of the Pohangina ’Comity Council were delegates to the Kiwitea County Council, concerning the proposed London’s Ford bridge. As the Council anxious to get through their business early in the dav and Mr Brown had not arrived, the matter was discussed with Mr Smith. The following report of the County Enigneer was read: —The plans and specifications of the proposed bridge at London’s ford have been forwarded by , the Pohangina County Council, but as they only arrived at noon on Wednesday I have had little time to consider them or go through the specifications. The plans show the deck level as being 2 feet 9 inches higher than on the original plans and an extra span of 70 feet is added to the length, the end of the bridge being about 60 feet short of the point at which I considered it should end. The proposed protection to the toe of the embankment is stone pitching, up to above the high flood level, but in my opinion this would not be sufficient; for at any time the stream seit in against the embankment a scour would certainly take place and cause the pitching to slip down and wash away. If the bridge is to be erected according to the present; plans . I would suggest that stone crates be used instead of the pitching, let down &‘two feet into the shingle and sufficiently high to be well above the highest flood level. They should be securely tied back so that in case of a scour they would not turn over. The flat above and below the bridge should be planted with willows and fenced. The proposed piers are of iron bark piles instead of concrete and which would be quite satisfactory. I notice a* mistake has been made by the Engineer in plotting the section off bridge site. This occurs between,' the points 283 feet and 848, which should be 66 feet, but only scales 48' feet on the plan. The. embankment would, therefore, extend 18 feet' further on to the river bed than shown. I still maintain that the* bridge, according to the amended plans, is too short to be absolutely safe from floods. There is no estimate accompanying: the plans so that at present I can. form no idea of the cost of the bridge. The Chairman pointed out to Mr - Smith that in view of the report; just read it was impossible for the Kiwitea County Council to consent, to the erection of .the bridge. Later Mr Brown arrived and, with Mr Smith, had an interview with Mr Burne, engineer of the KiwiteaCounty Council, as to his views regarding the proposed bridge.