Revolution in Road-Making

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43376, 22 September 1908, Page 4

Revolution in Road-Making

TARANAKI ENGINEER'S LATENT.

The Taranaki Daily NeW states that Mr Basham,? engineer for the Eltham anti Hawera County Councils, has just patented a block for roading purposes which, it is hoped, will result in great economy to local bodies. The principle of the new system is that on either side of the road where the wheels rue there should be two blocks composed of these concrete blocks, which would, therefore, bear almost the whole of the wear and tear of the roads. Describing the patent to the Hawera County Council, Mr Basham made the following statement “ The cost of laying these concrete tracks would range from about £SOO per mile on the South Road to about £9OO per mile in the back districts, such as Ararata, Meremere, Whakamara, etc. This £9OO per mile includes the cost of the blocks, the laying and the metal or gravel tracks between them for the horses to run on There can be no question that a road of this description must outlast a road constructed of Bin. of crushed metal, and the hauling of each horse would be increased very considerably, while a substantial amount per mile would be saved lu the initial cost of construction. Under the county loan of £63,000 the cost of the roads in the back district average as follows: — Ararata, £ls per chain ; Meremere, £l6 per chain; Fraser Road, £l6 per chain. The cost of the concrete track and gravel or metal would range from £ll to £l2 per chain, which would show a saving of about 25 per cent, in favour of this method. On the Continent of Europe they are constructing main roads wholly of concrete reinforced with steel spikes. This class of road ] has great wearing qualities. ”