ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20508, 26 May 1938, Page 13

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

MORE TAR-SEALING NEEDED PROGREBB IN WAIPA COUNTY WORK DURING PAST YEAR (Special Reporter.) TE AWAMUTU, Wednesday. The opinion that with the ever-in-creasing traffic on the county roads | the tar-sealing programme of the 1 council would have to be expedited was expressed by Mr F. L. Onion at J the annual meeting of the Waipa | County Council to-day. Mr S. C. B. i Macky presided. Mr Onion considered that the construction of modern highways had not kept pace with the increase in the volume of traffic. Many motorists imagined the condition of unsealed roads to be much worse than they were. They certainly appeared to be poor when compared with the sealed highways. The engineer, Mr J. W. Civil, pointed out that the council was a year behind in its roading programme. If more money were made available he considered that the necessary leeway could be made up. A Year Behind Mr Macky said it was necessary to recognise the fact that the council was a year behind in its plan, and as other councils w’ere also in need of money for road works It was not likely that there would be enough Government funds to go round. Mr Civil submitted a report of works carried out in reconstructing and metalling 72 miles of main highways within the county during the year. Plans, estimates and specifications for 4| miles on the Te AwamutuCambridge main highway were completed early in the period, and a contract to the value of £20,956 0s Gd was let. Sixteen agreements were arranged for the taking of land for deviations, etc., and, except in one instance, no difficulty was experienced in reaching satisfactory agreements. The council's workmen erected approximately four miles of fencing and installed Gi feet of 36-inch diameter concrete pipe culvert. Including the • foregoing, work executed outside the contract amounted to approximately £2OOO. The whole of the formation and base course metalling on this workbad been completed and in addition 2$ miles of top course and 40 chains of lar-sealing bad been carried out. A further 40 chains to be sealed to-day made a total length of tar-sealing on tills road of 80 chains. Frankton-Plrongia Route Plans, estimate and specifications for 21 miles on the Frankton-Plrongia main highway, commencing at Frankton, were completed and a contract amounting to £12,187 16s 5d was let. Seven property-owners were Interviewed in connection with the taking of land for deviations, etc., and If miles of fencing had been erected by the council’s workmen. Approximately li miles of the road had been formed and cushion course applied. An engineering survey and plans had been completed for a further 2$ miles on this highway, and as soon as another li miles had been surveyed proposals for this four miles would be submitted to the Main Highways Board for approval, preparatory to making an early start next season. This additional length would carry the work past the’ junction with Livingstone’s Hoad. On Hie Kihikihi-Arapuni main highway considerable work was carried out. • Messrs S. C. B. Macky, N. Reid, D. R. Livingstone. E. F- Peacocke, J. T. Johnson and F. L. Onion were reelected the finance committee. Mr | Macky was appointed the council’s representative on the No. 2 District Highways Council.