Chips spread on ice
Last week s cold .snap, which closed the Desert Road, brought out the heavy machinery. Driving specially adapted bulk fertiliser spreaders, Keith Kui and Dave Griffin drove the Waiouru-Turangi section spreading fine sealing chips in an effort to keep State Highway One open. The Raetihi men started work on Sunday night, finishing in the early hours of Monday morning, then were back on the job at' 5.30am and worked through until 5pm that night. With the road almost ready to reopen a fresh snowfall left a light dusting of snow to freeze again and keep the road closed. More spreading meant the Dfcsert Road could finally reopen on Tuesday afternoon. The four-wheel drive trucks spread a light coating of chips across the road to give cars a grip on the ice. As cars drive over the chips they
break the ice making it thaw more quickly. Ministry of Works graders shave most ice off the road before the two trucks follow
'spot gritting' the dips, gullies and shaded areas where ice forms. But on Monday they had to spread continuously over an entire
20 kilometre section. And how do the drivers manage in sub-zero temperatures? You get used to the cold, Keith says.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIBUL19840724.2.13
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Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 8, 24 July 1984, Page 3
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207Chips spread on ice Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 8, 24 July 1984, Page 3
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