ROAD SCHEMES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 750, 24 August 1929, Page 9

ROAD SCHEMES

HIGHWAYS BOARD S PLANS EXTENSIVE WAIKATO WORKS Important highway schemes to he undertaken shortly have been submitted to the Auckland Automobile Association by Mr. M. H. Wynyard, motorist*’ representative on the Main Highways Board. Finality has been reached concerning the reconstruction of the OhinewaiNgaruawahia section of the Great South Road. The Waikato County Council has accepted the Highways Board’s offer of a £3 for £1 subsidy for this bitumeu work, and the Kimihia bridge, popularly known as “the culvert,” is included in the scheme. Plans have been approved, and the work will commence immediately. The hoard has also approved a subsidy to the county on account of the amount that is being spent in maintenance on the Ohinewai-Tahuna Road, this being the most direct road to To Aroha and the Piako county. From Te Kuiti to the eight-miles peg on the New Plymouth route, the maintenance is bad, and the county has been requested to put the road in order. The board is specially subsidising the work, owing to damage done by carting metal to the eightmiles peg for the Taumarunui highway, which was constructed entirely by the board. From the eight-miles peg to Pio Pio a road is being improved with maintenance metal by the county. A fair amount of work is being done by the board on the Mahoenui-Pio Pio section of road, hut is being held up by the weather. On the TaurangaTe Puke Road the cost of improve ments is estimated at £22,000. The board is making a proposal to the Tauranga County Council based on this estimate. There are indications that the expenditure on secondary roads will be more than twice the amount, £130,000. spent on secondary highway mainteD ance last year. This supports the statement by the board that the coun ties had not previously realised the extent to which the declaration of secondary roads, made possible by the petrol tax, would benefit them. Proposals for improving the alignment of the Bombay deviation before it is metalled have been prepared by the district engineer, and will be forwarded shortly to the Highways Board.