BIG PROGRAMME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 August 1939, Page 5

BIG PROGRAMME

NEW BRIDGES IN MASTERTON COUNTY RECONSTRUCTION AND SEALING OF HIGHWAYS. TOTAL COST ABOUT £42,000, "The construction programme this year, including new bridges, will total about £42,000," said Mr J. C. D. Mackley. Masterton County Clerk, this morning. "This is one of the biggest programmes that the council has ever attempted," Mr Mackley added. Tenders had been let for the construction of nine bridges while those for two more would be let within the next two months. The total cost of these bridges, including subsidies from the Main Highways Board, would be about £32,000. In addition over six miles of sealing would be put .in hand in the coming season.

Mr Mackley stated that probably not all the bridges would be completed this financial year, though it was hoped that a good many would be fin ished. When these eleven structures were completed there would be only five bridges on main highways in the Masterton County area that were not built of reinforced concrete. The council had under consideration the question of renewing these bridges. Not many county councils in New Zealand having a corresponding length of main highways could claim to be so well advanced towards the completion of their bridge-building programme. The bridges at present under construction are: One at Ngahape over the Kaiwhata Stream to replace the bridge washed away by floods in 1938; three an the Masterton-Stronvar Highway, one over the Wangaehu Stream at Te Orc Ore, a large structure over the Taueru River at Weraiti and one at Longridge; the widening of a bridge on the Te Ore Ore-Bideford Road, and the construction of two new bridges on the same highway, one at Sulphur Wells and the other at Bridge Creek; one over the Mangapokia Stream on the Blairlogie-Langdale Road and a sixty-foot structure at Kopuaranga and elevation of adjoining road to eliminate flooding from the Kopuaranga Stream. The remaining two for which tenders would be let within the next two months were one at the Kiriwhakapapa Road and another over the Wangaehu Stream on the Te Ore Ore Settlement Road.

The replacement of Wardell’s'Bridge over the Ruamahanga River is under consideration while in conjunction with the Wairarapa South County Council an engineering survey of a bridge site over the Taueru River on the Masterton-Gladstone Highway is proceeding. The proposed site for this bridge is on the original road line which, if found practicable, will eliminate several sharp bends. If the costs work out favourably compared with the new bridge over the Taueru at Weraiti it is probable, the work may be proceeded with, though, of course, nothing has been decided upon so far. The only other wooden bridges on main highways in the county are two on the Wangaehu Road and two in the Stronvar district.

Besides these bridges, reconstruction of the Masterton-Castlepoint Main Highway is proceeding in the vicinity of Taueru, when a deviation of sixty chains is being put in to eliminate a circuitous route through the township. This will give a direct approach to the bridge from Masterton. This work is well under way and given favourable weather should be completed in about two months’ time. Following on its completion, a length of this highway, 3“ miles, from Bennett’s Hill to a mile beyond Taueru will be sealed. Similarly, the recently-constructed deviation over the Weraiti Hill, which has saved 54 chains in distance, will be sealed, the length of highway to receive attention in this case being 2| miles.