CONCRETE OR BITUMEN?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 314, 27 March 1928, Page 16

CONCRETE OR BITUMEN?

MT. EDEN ARGUMENT BUILDING FOR ALL TIME There are still some local body members who place implicit faith in the efficiency of hot-mix as compared with the concrete surface for highways carrying heavy traffic, and endeavours were made at the Mount Eden Borough Council last evening to have bitumen adopted in preference, to the concrete, in which a certain road had been started. The council decided to continue the work in concrete. THE Works Committee recommended that the engineer be instructed to prepare plans for laying down Boston Road in concrete, from Mount Eden Road to Normanby Road. The Mayor, Mr. E. H. Potter, said the road was now concreted to the council’s boundary, and as the city had concreted from Grafton Road to a point just below the gaol, it was necessary to join the two lengths. Cr. A. M. Bryden expressed a desire to have hot-mix tried on this road, and asked that the engineer prepare alternate costs. This caused a short controversy among councillors, Cr. J. Woolley asking if there was not an agreement with the city to lay the road in concrete. The Mayor: No; we are under no obligation. Mr. G. L. Taylor said this road lent itself particularly to concrete. Cr. Bryden said the .traffic on the Hutt Road in Wellington, heavy though it was, had not affected the solidarity of the hot-mix surface and construction. Cr. J. Smith: This road must be laid in concrete. Cr. C. H. Morrison: You are only making more labour for the engineer by making him prepare alternate prices. There is only one road that will carry the traffic of Auckland satisfactorily and that is the concrete surface. Once it is down it is down for all time, and w© have had a chorus of approval from everyone interested. The engineer’s recommendation was adopted.