Evening Post 20 February 1939
WEEKEND TRAFFIC
WESTERN HUTT ROAD
PARTS STILL UNFINISHED
OLD ROUTE MEANTIME QUICKER
For the first time the general public had free use of the new Western Hutt Road, during last weekend, and as most motorists abroad then were anxious to try out the new auxiliary highway, it was well patronised. Parts of it are still unfinished, however, and it became generally recognised that it Will save time and be more comfortable to take the old route in the meantime. The Western Hutt Road is eight and a half miles long between the Petone level railway crossing and the Silverstream bridge, and is less built up than the road through Lower Hutt and Taita, while the older route is nearly a mile longer, and there is sometimes congestion in the Lower Hutt Borough. There are fewer curves on the Western Hutt Road, and they are superelevated on the most modern principle, while the highway surface throughout is better than the main highway up the valley.
WORKMEN STILL BUSY.
When the new road is in order, it will undoubtedly give a quicker run between the points mentioned than does the old, but that will not be immediately. Workmen are still busy between the Normandale crossing and the Melling bridge, and at Silverstream, and on week days the loss of time on this account would make it well worth while to follow the old road in the meantime.
Motorists who tried out the Western Hutt Road during the weekend say that the approach to the bridge from the Silverstream end is still in very poor condition. A sweep is being built in to the ramp from the road, and motorists using the new road yesterday had to pass over ground where the bulldozers were at work before the weekend. They found this very dusty, and were of opinion that the spot would be a dangerous one until the work was finished.
EXTENSION TO PETONE.
The bush is being cleared away on the southern extension of the Western Hutt Road to link up with the Hutt Road at the Petone level crossing. This extension was announced by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) in August as being expected to be finished in time for the Centennial celebrations in 1940. It will give a straight run through from the Petone level crossing the Silverstream bridge, without railway crossings or ramps, in the meantime. Much depends on whether the Waterloo railway line is extended to Upper Hutt, in which case the Melling line would be used only by local traffic. If it continues to be used for through railway traffic a ramp will eventually become necessary.