COST OF ROAD UPKEEP.

Shannon News, 3 October 1922, Page 3

COST OF ROAD UPKEEP.

COUNTY COUNCIL’S HEAVY BURDEN

i Tine heavy anti increasing traffic [over the main roads through the Ho- ' rowhenua County has thrown a big burden on the Council within recent years to maintain the roads, and this will be realised when it is stated that the cost of upkeep this year averaged £l2O per mile. The county boundaries [extend l'roih the -Waikanae* River in the south to the Wirokino bridge over the Manawatu River on the. one side, and to just beyond the Tokomnru township on the other route. The total length of main road is .54 miles, SO' that the cost of maintenance, for the present year only is approximately £6500. This does not include bridge upkeep or attention to district. toads. A good idea, of how the roads suffer under the present traffic conditions is afforded by the experience on the Le-vin-Foxton road. Five miles ol ibis was recently put into good order with ail excellent running surface. When motorists and lorry owners discovered this they used ibis piece of road to show what, their vehicles could do in the way of pace, and in a short time the surface was knocked to pieces, and will' have, to be built up again. This is only one particular length of road: there are numerous other instances where Ihe same fifing has occurred at a heavy cost to the county. Whilst it is difficult to get at 1 lie cost, per mile of road maintenance, say, ten years ago, the county records show that in 1910, 1913 and 1915 metalling was done very much cheaper, and wages were much below the present rales. The old contract prices indicate that metal was supplied at 2/2., 2/3, 3/, -4/2, and up to 13/ per yard [the latter work being near Wirokino bridge, necessitating long haulage). To-day the prices are double those quoted, and in some cases more: than doubled. An increase of 100 per cent for metalling is a modest estimate, and 50 per cent in regard to wages. Not only is there Ihe.se heavier charges, but the roads have not the life they formerly had, owing to the excessive traffic, so that practically twice the expenditure is required in a given time than was the case, say ten years ago.