BOROUGH FOOTPATHS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 January 1917, Page 6

BOROUGH FOOTPATHS.

IN STATE'OF DISREPAIR. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The condition of tlie footpaths in New Plymouth, and tin- best rrethods of remaking those required to be renewed formed the subject of a report that has just been brought down tv the Boroi'gh Engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook). With few exception?, said Mr, Cook, there are not many really serviceable pathways in the borough. A number of the footpaths were ..vcl'i made when laid down, and have stood the test of time to a remarkable degree. From Hobson street to Kliot sheet in Devon street on the north side the tarred stone path is si.': feet wide. It was laid down about 11 years ago. This path is of an average thickness of Uins., and is still is very good condition. A coat of tar and sand will put it in excellent condition and greatly lengthen it.- life. Its first coat must have been repaid ovei and over again, by reason of lessened annual maintenance, charges and quite half a million people must have passed over it. The path from the White Hart Hotel to Egnu.nt street—a hngth of concrete flags—is still in good condition. In dealing with footpaths it should be born in mind that they are foot roadways, and should be just as carefully constructed with regard to life, cost and maintenance as the roadways for vehicles. For ease of traveling over, they should be hard, smooth ami dry except during actual rainfall. TWO CLASSES OF PATHS. < Paths may be subdivided into two main classes, namely, those in business streets and those in residential streets. The former may again be subdiivded into (a) main shopping streets; 'hj streets in which warehouses and public buildings jrc erected; (e) route paths to Railway Station, over which it may reasonably be expected a large volume, of pedestrian traffic will pass Class No. 2 may also be subdivided into (d) paths leading from main business streets and Railway Station, directly to recreation grounds, public parks and other reserves and (e) to residential areas.

CONSTRUCTION'. It docs not appear that any definite standard width lias been adhered to, proceeded the engineer. Vndthf from five feet to 12 feet are to he found. If some defined proportion of the street width had been adopted such as one-fifth and one-sixth of the road width, the width of the paths would have born automatically settled. Some streets, ueli at Cutfielil road, have no paths, whilst ether streets of the same width have varying path widths, regardless of the volume of traffic. In retail business streets 12 feet should bo the least width (allowing for growth of population). In othei business and important streets 10 feet should be. the. minimum width. Main arterial residential streets require path? of this width, whilst the secondary street.-, feeding the arterial "thoroughfares, will be sufficiently well 'served'if provided with scviv. feet wide dry pathways. 1

Certain reservations must be made in such instances where the loadway is in deep cutting and the width of roadbed cannot be lessened owing t-? the volume, of traffic. The batter of (he side walls must to some extent encroach upon the pathway.-. The drainage of rainfalls from private entrance"; .-honld not be allowed to overflow the path. This pr»".tice is very prevalent, and should be liiscontinued, for not only does the wearing away of the surface of the path mean heavier maintenance, charges, hut it is a source of discomfort to pedestrians.

.COVERINGS FOR PATHS. To preserve the foundation, cleanliness and comfort should lie afforded to those using them, ft is essential that tin, surface be finished with such materials as will meet the needs of traffic. The least expensive covering will be river or pit gravel, screened free from stones above one inch in greatest diameter laid to a depth of three inches, raked, levelled and rolled to consolidation. This class of path wears badly and i« liable to break up during the hot weather, it becomes dusty and in the wet season somewhat muddy. The only advantage is that it is low in first cost. It is, however, expensive to maintain to standard, and can only be recommended to serve more or less temporarily, thinly populated areas. The avera.se cost, when- no heavy cutting or embankments require to be mad?, is for a 10foot path, approximately £2 5s per chain. The cost varies according to the length of the haulage of rrcrsil. TAR PATXTTNG AND SANDING. Next to a plain gravelled path, dressing with tar and sand is most favored as" meeting the lfceds of suburban traffic. To paint on the clay direct is just so much time and material thrown away. In all cases there should be 'a layer of gravel lightly rolled, and during warm weather the'tar should he poured over ihe surface to allow it to penetrate. Sufficient sand should be dusted over to take up any excess, and form a smooth finish when finally rolled. Properly maintained, the life of this footpath may be taken as from six to ten years. The initial cost will be £2 lfls per chain, plus £1 lis the following year, gravelling £2 ss, a total of £6 4s.

TABBED STONE ASVHALT. For paths subject to much traffic tliis class of finish is very suitable. For good work crusher clippings are used graded fioin three-quarter to three-eighth ineli. These are tarred and allowed to mature prior to laying. Eaid to finish two inches thick* and well rollej, finally Riving the surface a eoatint; of tar and coarse sand and grit. The path is practically impervious to water. The following'season a second dressing should be given. With a well laid path maintenance is reduced to a minimum, a dressing coat being all that is required to keep it in good order, s-iy every four years or according to the amount of traffic passing over. The cost is appioxiimiteljj il" ISs lOd per chain for a 12-foot wide path. CONCKETE PAVEMENTS. Two methods may be adopted in layins this class of path, namely, "i". situ" or by ''flags," these latter being made in the yard. Concrete paths are not in general use in towns in the Dominion. The advantages of the ''in situ "method arc- the ease and speed with which the work can be performe.: ih: few joints, sveh being' rcqnir" 1 ''••" '"pansion and contraetion and !- *u appearance. The disadvantages a v if, , -"-;'v.-~ity of keeping the traffic '■'■'■ a '■'' ".ifncicntly set hard enough !■ ■. -■>... ™'Ui trifle, the ■nuisance caused i.'-j. V oi materials along the street. -art 2 W miaing the

concrete, the difficulty experienced in cutting through finished work) for laying pipes, etc., and liability to cracking,' attendance at night, and inconvenience to shop keepers and their customers, i

The advantage of a flag pavement is that the flags are cast in the yard and quickly laid, easily removed for service laying and pleasing in appearance. The chief disadvantage is liability to an unequal settlement under heavy traffic. No great trouble is likely to arise fr»m this cause, as the clay foundation is particularly favorable, being of a firm nature. The flags would be bedded on sand to obtain an even bearing. Practically little or no cost is incurred to maintain concrete laid "in situ" If it is interfered with for any purpose other than as a path, the cost would lie debited to the work for which the path was broken into. The estimated cost per chain, I'2 feet wide, is £ls 10s.

The only charges for maintaining flag pavement would bo for resetting to level where unequal settlement of flags occurred. This would be a'most negligable after the first, year. 'Hie estimated ec'st is £l(i 17s Sd' per chain. The life may be put down at 20 to 25 years. Based upon the assumed life' of eaeli class of surface, concrete "in situ" is the. cheapest, with tarred stone next.

WORK TO BE DONE. Mr. Cook recommended that Devon street, between Cover street and Robe street, be properly repaired with tarred asplialt or class three; tlmt the side streets from and including Liardet street on the south side to Kobe street be'also repaired with similar material, and from Egmont street to and ine'uding Curric street, as funds permit. These side streets would be repaired only so far as business premises exist, any extension to say St. Aubyn street o:, one side and Pc.wde.rham street on the other side to be laid with tar painted surface (two coat work); number 2 class to be adopted generally throughout the borough as funds become available. All private right-of-way and cart crossings should he laid in concrete regardless of the material of the adjoining path. Crossings from path to path at. inter-sections of streets should be laid in tar asphalt of heavier graded stone, particularly in Devon street. IAH MACADAM FOR DEVON STREET The engineer said concrete dags would be the most lasting form of footpath for Devon street, but it was ret within the funds of the Council to lay such a costly path at present. Neither does the volume of traffic warrant it. A properlylaid tarred macadam path, well lookedafter, will give a life of from 12 to 18 years and perhaps longer. By that time the town will have grown to such size, and be in a so much stronger financial position that if the path is then required the cost will fall lighter on the ratepayers at that time than it will at present. Mr. Cook recommended that a quantity of tar be arranged for, and that a storage well be erected.

KERBING AND CHANNELLING. Kerbs are for the protection of path edges, added the engineer. They act as retaining walls and prevent dmnago from wheels of vehicles. Hardly any portion of a road looks so neglected as the frayed edges of pathways. Where tarred there would be a loss of surface It is not essential but advisable to kerb grassed edges, to keep them from wearing away. For the same reason channelling is necessary, especially on steep slopes. Scouring has tv: lie guarded against. Whether the channels ( be laid in concrete or tarred stone is a question of suitability, cost of maintenance. He could not recommend departing from concrete. '