MAIN HIGHWAY CRACKING UP.

Shannon News, 29 April 1924, Page 2

MAIN HIGHWAY CRACKING UP.

under extraordinary traffic. SERIOUS DAMAGE ALREADY DONE. With tlie extraordinary traffic on the main roads arising om of the need for motor transport, tlie question oi maintenance of these roads comes into prominence. A continual and evergrowing stream ol heavily-laden cars, char-a-bancs and niptor lorries is travelling day and night and roads which were sufficiently strong lor the ordinary traffic ol the pre-strike days are rapidly breaking-up beneath tlie added strain. \ The Hloro'Whenua County Council on. Thursday received a communication iroan tine' Public Work# Department, Wellington, asking them to' concentrate all the available County staff and machinery on the Mam loads oi the County wnich total in an ou miles. The Public Works further o lie red to supply men and machinery for the work if the local organisation was not sufficient. FIFTY MEN ON MAIN ROAD.

Speaking to a Chronicle representative this morning, the County Engineer, Mr W. N. Anderson, expressed himself as doubtful of being able to hold tlie roads even if all the. men asked, for were available. It had been decided; to accede to the Government’s request ’and from.. Monday the County staff, totalling 50 men with nine motor lorries would be concentrated on tlie main : roads from Wadkanae to the Wirokiino Bridge and from Levin to Tokomaru. On tills length of road Mr Anderson estimated Ihere had already been done damage which amounts to Between £7OOO and £IO,OOO. In the Tokomaru riding on one stretch ol road the traffic had already cut through tlie metal and was bringing up the clay from beneath. The same thing had occurred on the swamp portion of the Foxton road and despite their best efforts he was afraid that the roads would shortly be in such a condition as to make heavy traffic impossible. With tlie traffic increasing as it: was at present it would, require three, men and a. motor lorry per mile of road and even then he would not guarantee to hold them. TRAFFIC MUST SLOW DOWN.

A great deal of the trouble, Mr Aderson-continued, was due to the excessive speed a,t which the Through traffic travelled. Cars and char-a-bancs on the Weraroa Settlement road had been doing 40 to 50 miles per hour. This was of course, tarred, so that the damage was not severe, but on every, flat piece of road, drivers made what speed they could, indifferent to the effect on the road. The bridges were also suffering and he was of the opinion that it would be necessary shortly to put men on the main bridges to slow down the traffic.