JOURNAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MAIN ROADS MAIN ROADS MARCH, 1961 MARCH, 1961 Volume 26 Number 3

CONTENTS

Aspects of Commonwealth Aid ...... 63 Development in New South Wales by'the Hon. P. D. Hills, M.L.A.,Minister for Local Government and Minister for Highways ...... 70 Post-graduate Studcnts at the University of New South Wales- Photograph ...... 73 New Highway Route Now Open to Traffic between Glen Innes and Grafton ...... 74 Mr. E. F. Mullin, 0.B.E.-Photograph ...... 80 Storage of Materials and Plant on Roadsides-Methods of Combating 'Theft ...... 81 Roads in Relation to Road Safety-Extract from Report by Com- monwealth Senate Select Committee ...... 82 Historical Roads of New South Wales-The . . 84 Planning and Design of Urban Freeways Overseas-Part 3 .. 90 Main Roads Funds ...... 97 Tenders Accepted by Department of Main Roads ...... 98 Tenders Accepted by Councils ...... 99 Harbour Bridge Account ...... 100

COVER SHEET

Sixteen miles from Grafton on the new route of the between Grafton and Glen Innes MAIN ROADS I Aspects of Commonwealth Aid JOURNAL OF THE N earlier years, in order to give the maximum possible assistance to local n IEPARTMENT OF MAIN ROADS I governing bodies in New South Wales, the Main Roads system was NEW SOUTH WALtS expanded from time to time until now it includes nearly 18 per cent. of the recorded total road mileage of the State, a bigger percentage than in any other State. When (he Commonwealth Government started in 1947 to provide grants to the States for expenditure solely on local roads* in rural areas, it soon became apparent that in New South Wales the large mileage of the 1.Y.Yiie)d by and nith the Authority of rhe proclaimed Main Roads would act as a handicap to the speedy improvement Commi.>.>ionerfor Main Roads of many of the roads where improvement was most needed, namely the country Main Roads. At the present rate of progress, it will take about 25 or 30 years to bitumen surface all existing proclaimed Main Roads in New South Wales. MARCH 1961 Recent observation showed that there are already about 50 instances in New South Wales where local side roads which have been bitumen surfaced junction with and deliver traffic to Country Main Roads which have not been bitumen SUI faced. It appears that with every passing year this anomalous situation will become PRICE more pronounced in New South Wales, because forty per cent. of total Three Shillings Commonwealth Aid Funds must he reserved for side roads. Several Shire Presidents have stated that they have difficulty in explaining to their rate- payers why Main Roads cannot he bitumen wrfaced before the subsidiary roads. Public bewilderment can well be understood. The growth in Commonwcalth Aid for rural side roads in New South Wales A N N U A I. SURSCR I PTl ON may be seen from the following table:- Twelve Shillings 1947-48 f282,000 1956-57 f3.478,000 Post Free 1948-49 f564.000 1957-58 f3,602,000 1949-50 f846.000 1958-59 f4,238.000 1950-5I El ,267,000 1959-60 f4,686.000 1951-52 &1,520,000 1960-6I f5.148.000 1952-53 f 1,532,000 196 1-62 f5,596,000 rddili onal copies of this journal may be 1953-54 f 1,699,000 1962-63 f6,043,000 obtained from 1954-55 f2,559,000 1963-64 f6,491,000 1955-56 f2,968,000 , Dc bpartment of Main Roads The impact of the Commonwealth reqiiircmcnt that none of this money he spent on Country Main Roads is felt more severely in New South Wales than 309 Castlereagh Street in any other State because, as stated above, this State had expanded its Main S!fdney, New South Wales Roads system to a greater extent than other States, and the Department of Main Roads is constantly being pressed to expand it still further. The Australia percentages of roads which are proclaimed or gazetted as Main Roads in the various States are as follows:- New South Wales . . 17.63 South Australia . . 13.16 Victoria .. . . 13.00 Western Australia . . 3.86 . . . . 15.26 Tasmania . . . . 15.26 Box 3903, GPO, Telephone 80933 From these figures, it follows that the Commonwealth money for rural elegr;rms " MAINROADS" SYDNEY side roads may allowably be spent in other States on roads of a traffic importance from which it must bc withheld in New South Wales. The position in New South Wales is thus anomalous in a second respect. As matters now stand, the road improvements most needed by residents R eprints of any portion of this publi cation, unless specially indicated in some rural districts, namely on Main Roads, cannot he provided as rapidly D the contrary, ray he made. provided as might otherwisc be possible on account of the rigidity of the Commonwealth the c:xact reference thereto is quoted legislation which results in the less urgent works often being carried out before thc more urgent works. Successful and balanced improvement of Australian roads will be achieved only if expenditure policy is based on a factual analysis of traffic needs. H. M. SHERRARD, NEXT ISSUF Commissioner for Main Roads. JUNE 1961 ~ * In the Commonwealth Act m.sleadingly called " rural " roads. but defined in wch a way RS to exclude all the principal rural roads, i.e., the Main Roads. * 3792-1 HIGHWAY D EVE LO PMENT in New South Wales”

by the lloti. P HILLS, M.L.A., Minirter for I octrl Govrrnrnenf iincl Mini.sfer for Highwcrys

OADS give access to land, minerals, forest, work roads do not all serve the same function, and if the R places and homes, and serve to transport men network is studicd it will soon become evident that the and goods from the places where they are to the places roads may he “rankcd” or put in “classes”. in order where they are rcquired to be. Without ro3d RCCCSS, of significance from a State point of view. 1 will first the lands and other natural assets of a country are describe the position in the country areas of the State largely inaccessible and unavailable for use. It is outside the County of Cumberland which comprises means of transport. especially roads which give value metropolitan Sydney and its immediate rural environs. to potential resources. Industry and commerce are equally dependent on the existence of roads, and the better the roads the cheaper is the resulting cost of Classes of Roads transport. Roads in the first class are those which link this As well as serving an economic function, roads are State with other States, or connect the vast interior also the first essential of social life, to recreation, and with the coast. These arc the most important of our all cultural and leisure activities. Main Roads, and are called State Highways. The Governments are dependent on roads to aid in State, through thc Commissioner for Main Roads, making possible the many public services needed by meets the full cost of constructing and maintaining the modern community, such as cducation, police pro- the State Highways. Most of them arc named, e.g. tection. ambulance, medical and hospital services, , . and so on. The water supply, electricity, gas. sewerage, drainage, tele- State Highways have a total mileagc of only 6,504 phone, and fire fighting. Defence also depends miles, and thus represent only 5.11 per cent. of the considerably on the availability of good roads. total recorded road mileage of New South Wales, but Tn March, 1960, there were 2302,914 motor vehicles, they carry about 45 per cent. of the total vehicle- including motor cycles, in Australia corresponding to miles of travel in the Statc. 3.7 persons per vehicle; 959.296 of thcsc vehicles were The next roads in order of importance are those in New South Wales. Main Roads which, together with the State Highways, The roads of New South Wales have a total mileage link the main regions of the State. These are known of 127.095 miles. As at 30th June, 1957, the roads as “Trunk Roads”, and by reason of their importance, were constructed as follows:- the State. through the Commissioner for Main Roads, Dustless surfaces. mainly bitumen 11.24 per cent. meets three-quarters of thc cost of their construction Gravel ...... 34.60 per cent. and maintenance, and the Council in whose area they Earth surfaces ...... 54.16 per cent. are situated mcets the balance of the cost. The corresponding pcrccntages for the United States Then. and only it little less in importance. are the are as follows:-31.43 per cent., 37.24 per cent., and remaining (or “ordinary”) Main Roads which. together 31.33 per cent. with State Highways and ‘Trunk Koads, form a net- In both countries about 20 per cent. of the rccordcd work linking all disfricfs and all centres of population road mileage carries negligible traflic, and may be dis- throughout thc State. The State, through the Commis- regarded. sioner for Main Roads, meets two-thirds of the cost of the construction and maintenance of “ordinary” A map showing all the roads of New South Wales Main Roads, and the Councils through whose areas would show a confusing pattern of lines which it would they run meet the balance. AI1 Main Roads together, he difficult to comprehend at first glance. However. i.e., Statc Highways. Trunk Roads and ordinary Main Roads, total 22,423 miles in length, i.e. approximately * Reprint of arliclr conlrihuled hy the Hun. P. U. Hills. M.L.A , lo llir 1960 I-nginuering Year Buuk of the Umvcriity of New South Wales. 17.63 pcr cent. of the total recorded road mileage in MAIN ROADS 71 -

:w South Wales. The Main Roads, however, carry Maintenance and Construction least 75 per cent. of the total vehicle-miles of travel Nearly half the money spent each year on the Main the State. Roads of New South Wales is spent on nwiw/enance, The remainder of the roads of the State, comprising i.e., repairing the ravages of traffic and weather, so that per cent. of the total recorded mileage, but carrying the roads and bridges will at all times give as satisfactory ‘1 more than 25 per cent. of the total traffic, are the a standard of servicc as they are capable of without ads of local interest, i.e., side roads giving access rebuilding. properties, and their upkeep is a local responsibility the Municipal or Shire Council, although Councils The balance of the money is spent on construdori. :eive sonie tinancial aid as described latcr. which nieans providing facilities superior to those which exist, for example constructing ncw bridges in place In the County of Cumberland, which includes nietro- of old structures, or at sites where no bridge has litan Sydney. the pattern of roads and road classiti- ever existed ; rebuilding country Main Roads to modern tion is very similar to that elsewhere in the Statc. standards-sometimes involving extensive deviations )wcvcr, in this case the Commissioner for Main from existing routes ; rebuilding old road pavements )ads is fully responsible for all works on Main Roads. that have worn out ; constructing bituminous surfaces in iether State Highways or otherwise. The Councils place of gravel surfaces in the country; widening metro- responsible for all other roads in the County of plitan roads and constructing higher-class pavements ; imberland. but receive financial assistance from the and so on. lmmissioner for Main Roads on certain “Secondary” Ids which are accepted as serving to relieve traffic Road Improvement Trying to Catch up with Traffic Main Roads. Growth The Department of Main Roads was established in ho carries out the work 1925. and since then tremendous progress has been The task of the Commissioner for Main Roads is io made by Councils and the Department in improving thc ‘ry out the provisions of the Main Roads Act. and Main Roads of New South Wales. For example we particular to see that the Main Roads of New South now have about 8,000 miles of bitumen-surfaced Main gles are maintained and constructed to meet the Roads, whereas in 1925 there were scarcely any dust- :ds of road users to the extent that availablc funds less surfaces outside towns, and we can now travel at II permit. The actual work of maintenance and con- high speeds over long distances throughout thc State. uction on the Trunk and “ordinary” Main Roads is Since 1925 also some 1,700 new bridges have been .ried out by Municipal and Shire Councils, who also built on Main Roads. This progress has been obtained all the work on local side or access roads. In the only in the face of serious difficulties, especially, in ;e of the Country State Highways, however, and turn, the economic depression of the ‘thirties; then Main Roads of the County of Cuniberland. which World War 11, and finally the inflation of post-war

~ the direct responsibility of the Commissioner for years. Simultaneously with the growth in popu- iin Roads, the greater part of the construction and lation and in motor vehicle owncrship. A most intenance work is done by the Department of Main notable feature of the post-war traffic has been ‘ads. the balance being done by Councils by arrange- the big relative increase in the use of hcavy coni- nt with the Commissioner. mercial motor vehicles. Although post-war road revenues soared with the growth of motor vehicle, iere the Funds Come From usage, the value of the money has simultaneously The total annual expenditure on roads in New South declined on account of inflation, with the result that des is about f45.000,000. Thc funds expendcd by although trafllc has increased 200 per cent. in the post- Department of Main Roads total about f20.000.000 war years, the effective work-value of the total available annum, and are drawn mainly from State taxation motor revenue is little niore than 50 per cent. in excess owners of motor vehicles, and from grants from the of that available in pre-war years. Thus traflic needs leral Government, known 3s “Commonwealth Aid”. have advanced far more rapidly than can be met from le Federal Government has exclusive rights in Aus- rcvcnuis available. and many road improvements ia to impose a tax on motor fuel.) urgently needed in both city and country cannot yet be undertaken. Nevertheless. big programmes of work “he amount which Councils themselves contribute are coming to fruition, and others are being instituted. Main Roads works is drawn mainly from rating on :I and to a lesser extent from loans. Work by .incils on local side roads is financed partly from Current Works ie sources. and partly from a special proportion On the average, each year, at present, the Depart- “Commonwealth Aid” which the Fcdcral Govern- nicnt of Main Roads and Councils on Main Roads are :it rcquires shall be spent on rural roads which are coqverting about 500 miles of gravel road to bitumen Main Roads. In addition, funds may be provided surfaced road, and are rebuilding and strengthening the Commissioner for Main Roads towards the con- about 100 miles each year of heavily trafficked Statc ictiori of “Developmental Roads”, i.e., roads which Highways built many years ago in order to adapt them ‘e not been previously constructed and which if to modern traffic. In addition, about 60 to 70 new 1‘ built will bring about rural development. bridges are built each year on Main Roads. 72 MAIN ROADS Vol. 26. No. 3 .~

In the maintenance and construction of Main Roads the proposed Warringah Expressway, which is planned the Councils and the Department employ sonic 7.400 to lead north from the Harbour Bridge and serve all nien. and large numbers of all types of modern road North Shore suburbs, and also for that part of the plant. especially niotor graders. dorers. scrapers. loaders Western Distributor which will link the city markets and trucks. area with Ultimo and beyond. On account of inability to obtain sufficient additional experienced staff locally, Some very large road works involving heavy earth- the surveys and plans for these latter works :ire being works which arc in hand on Main Roads in the country done by a firm of experienced American engineering include the construction of a new route for the Gwydir consultants. I-Iighway from Grafton to Glen Innes through rough mountainous areas. a length of 74 miles of new road : The most heavily-trafficked rural road in New Sou1.h (he reconstruction of the Trunk Road between Canberra Wales is the Sydney to Newcastle portion of the Pacific iiiid the coast, also through much niountainous country. Highway. This road is mainly only of two-lane width, ii Ixgth of 77 miles; the deviation of the Pacific High- and much of it passes either through steep rocky ter- way between a point near Raymond Terrace and Taree rain, or through closely-settled areas. The provision of (79 niiles of new road) : and road construction on thi- a four-lane road of expressway type is highly desirable. Prince's and S;iowy Mountains Highways on the south hut funds cannot yet be provided for it. Proposals have coas(. Progress in bitumen surfacing on State High- therefore been invitcd for the construction and opera- ways is making especially rapid progress at present in tion of such a road by private enterprise. on ii toll inliind areas. particularly on the western slopes and basis. plains. Large bridges under construction include a steel hridge over the Hastings River near : a Other expressways have hecn planned by the Depart- steel and concrete bridge over tlic Lane Cove River ment of Main Roads extending from Sydney south as at Figtree: a steel hridse over the Richmond River at far as Kiama. south-west as far as Mittagong, and Lismore; ;I pre-stressed concrete bridge over the Mur- west to the Blue Mountains. These, together with met- ray River at Albury ; '1 pre-stressed concrete bridg: ropolitan expressways, will be among the most imprt- over the Parraniatta River at Silverwater 2nd n long ant works to he undertaken in the future. simultaneously span concrete arch bridge over the Parramatta River at with the further improvement of the Main Roads sys- Gladesville. tem as exists today. together with such xdditions to ihe system as time and traffic may show lo be necessary. Future Works Plans in preparation for large new bridges include a Highway Engineering a Challenge steel hridgc over the south arm of the Hunter River at Newcastle: a bridge over the Richniond River near Growth in weight and volume of traffic on city B:illina : a bridge over the Clarence River near Maclean; streets and on country roads is one of the outstanding ii bridge over the Hunter River at West Maitland ; and features of the age in which we live, and it is the ii bridge over George's River between Rocky Point and task of the Highway Enginccr to develop ways and Taren Point. At least a hundred ncw bridges of all means of economically meeting the needs of this traffic sir'cs require to he built on Main Ro:ids each year. for safe, speedy and convenient movement. New proh- lenis are constantly appearing. and research plays an In the country. immediate objectives additional to increasingly important part in the scarch for solutions. bridges. are the extension as rapidly as possible of bitu- The Department of Main Roads in New South Wales nicn surfaces o:i all Main Roads where this is war- has large laboratorics for testing materials and for ranted, and the improvement of the Main Roads day-to-day research, and co-operates in this work with serving Ncwcastlc and Wollongong. Considerable im- similar bodies in other States through an interstate provement will also be undertaken on the principal organisation known as the Natinnal Association of interstate routes. Australian State Road Authorities. Recently the Asso- In Sydncy. Newcastle and Wollongong the Dcpart- ciation has established the Australian Road Research nient of Mnin Roads has planned the future develop- Board further to widen the field of road research in ment of the Main Roads systems, including tlic pro- Australia and to co-ordinate all road research activi- visio:i of niodern expressways serving the metropolitan ties. The Board will hold periodical conferences, and area wid beyond. This planning has been done in publish the results of road research work, as well as close association with other aspccts of the Town Plan- granting funds to universities and other bodies for ning of these cities. undertaking specific pieces of road research. In the nietropolitan area. the main immediate objcc- The field of road research covers not only road tives of the Department of Main Roads. additional to materials. road making methods. and the characteris- provision of hridges. are first to widen the principal tics of road traffic, hut also research into finance and arterial roads leading out of the city, and then to widen administration, and into future road needs. An cxten- oi.her arterial roads servin? industrial areas and the sive study into future road needs in New South Wales ncw rcsidcntial arcas. In addition the Lhartmcnt has has recently been carried out by the Department of pi1 in h:i!id surveys and designs for work on part of Main Roads. Irch. 1961 MAIN ROADS 73

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New South Wales is fortunate in having at thc Uni- young engineers, involving early responsibility in rsit~of New South Wales Chairs of bot11 Hi&way management, self-reliance. often relative isolation, co1p igineering and Traffic Enginecring. In addition, the trol of large bodies of and equipment, or it iiversity authorities, in conjunction with the Depart- may be special technical assignments in design and re- :nt of Main Koads, are planning for the establish- :nt at the University of important road research faci. search. Australia has need for many highway cngirieers es. Thus young engineers in this State are especially because its road systems are still only their initial ioured to equip themselves as highway engineers, stage of development for the motor age. I-Iighway Engineering comprises the application of I commend highway engineering to YOU as a field of ence and enzineering practice to the new and par- great and illcreasing technical and administrative in- ularly pressing problems resulting from modern traf- tercst, and a field where satisfaction can be derived . Highway Engineering is therefore a challenge to from visible accomplishment.

POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Post-Rraduate studentv engqqed in courses in Highuav Engineermp jor the deErpe oj blaster cj Technology and the Diplomu, together with Professor D. F. Orchard, Professor of Highay Engineering (centre). SCbLE OF MILES

New Highway Route Now Open to Traffic BETWEEN GLEN INNES AND GRAFTON

HE new route of the Gwydir Highway between inilcs froni Grafton, was attended by a large gathering, TGlen Innes and Grafton, was opened to traffic by including Membcrs of Parliament. representatives of the Honourable R. J. Heffron, M.L.A., Premier of Governnicnt departments and authorities, municipal. New South Wales, on the 9th December, 1960. at a shire and county councils, press and radio. and the ceremony arranged by the Department of Main Roads. public. At the sanie time. two points on the road The opening ceremony. which was held on the road- adjacent to the location of the opening ceremonv and side on , on the new route of the Gwydir froni which splendid views of the Mann River Vallcy Highway at a point 50 miles froni Glen Innes and 48 may bc obtained, were nanicd aftcr the Premier and after the Minister for Local Government and Hieh-

~ ways. “Heffron Lookout“ at an elevation of 2.S90 feet, is lwated bctween 48 and 49 miles from Glen Innes and ‘‘Hills Lookout” between 52 and 53 miles from Glcn Innes at an elevation of 1.600 feet. Thc new road has provided better general interconi- niunication between the inland and coastal areas. It is. in effect, a deviation of th: old rouk of the Gwydir Highway. about 73 miles long. leaving the existing Highway route 21 miles from Glen Innes and rejoining it 4 miles froni South Grafton. The acconipanyiny locality sketch indicates the old and new routes of the Highway. The country between Glen Innes and Grafton-some of the roughest in the State-falls with an abrupt

Mrs. R. .I. HeRron, wife of the Premier of New South Wales, cutting the ribbon at the official opening of the new road escarpment generally about 3.000 feet high from the tableland to the ranges adjoining the coastal plain. Major waterways flowing from the tableland have carved deep, winding valleys through the escarp- ment, leaving high, residual spurs. On the direct line between Glen Innes and Grafton, the main areas of tableland and foothill country are separated by a par- ticularly rugged strip of hill country about 30 niiles wide. Neither the ridges nor valleys through this strip are favourable to road location. as the ridges are broken by deep saddles, and steep to precipitox slopes fall directly into the stream bed in many places.

Early Development By about 1836 a considerable trade in cedar had developed in the Clarence River area, but the activities of the cedar getters were confined principally to the lower reaches of the river and they did not penctrate, to any extent, the country served by the Gwydir High- way. Scttlenient of the country around Grafton, how- ever, was largely due to the operations of the cedar getters. The new Gwydir Highway skirting Hie Mann River at Penetration of the country lying between the New Mulligan’s IMiiff England tablelands and the coast was first made in 1838. The road which the new route ha? replaced was first Where thc Orara River is crossed at Ramornie, the proclaimed a Main Road in 1876. In the earlier days, road passes the old Ramornie meatworks and the this road carried the bulk of the traffic to and from the station famed for its Hereford cattle. The Ramornie coast, consisting of timber and tin toward5 the coast run was first taken up in 1840 by a Dr. Dobie, a and general store goods in the opposite direction. In surgeon in the Royal Navy, who was appointed Health 1928, this road was classified as a State Highway and Officer at Sydney. He later resigned his appointment became known as State Highway No. 12-Gwydir and devoted himself to pastoral pursuits. Stock for the Highway. Its nanie was derived from the Gwydir run was brought from Maitland via the Ncw England River which had been nanicd by the explorer, Allan tableland and down to the coastal country by a route Cunningham, in 1827, in honour of the Right Honour- which must have followed fairly closely the first road able Lord Gwydir. the Deputy Great Chamberlain of to the coast from Glen Innes. Dr. Dobie disposed of England. his interest in the property in 1845, and the subsequent owner, Wrn. Tindall, developed the run and established meatworks, one of the first such undertakings in Aus- The Old Route tralia. The meatworks wcrc started to relieve a con- The old Highway routc between Glen Innes and gested market and the development of a considerable Grafton, descends from the tableland to t’ie Mann River export trade resulted. Meat canned at Ramornie was Valley and crosses a low ssddlc in a watershed to used by the troops engaged in the Crimean War. Thc reach the Littk River which it follows for 27 niiles rcmains of the old meatworks may bz SCCI froni the between steep mountain sides to the Nymboida River. new route of the Highway. Foothill country east of the Nymboida River is then About the middle of the 19th century, mining for traversed to South Grafton. The descent of about gold and othcr minerals became an important industry 2 200 feet into th2 Mann River Valley is spread over in the Clarence River Valley. tin. wolfram. mercury a distance of about seven niilcs and is made in three and copper, as well as gold being mined in payable stages. Thc alignment on the descent is tortuous, quantities. In 1901, large deposits of copper ore were particularly on the steep intermediate stage known as discovered at Cangai which is locatcd close to the new The Big Hill. On Thc Big Hill. the road falls a little route of the Highway. In 1904 a compnny was formed more than 1.000 feet in 2t miles and follows a zig,cag to work the ore-body and smelting began at thc niint. course with hairpin turns in order to make sufficient dis- in 1906. The oxidiscd ores were very rich in copper tance for th: grade. Parts of the road along the Little and for several years shipment? were sent to Europ: River are in narrow rock cutting on steep side slopes for treatment. The outbreak of war in 1914 prevented 1-1 on2 place, a very steep rock bluff alongside the Little a regular market for the ore and operations ceased. River is negotiated by means of >I short tunnel. Up IO that time, the output of ore exceeded 5.000 tons. The smelters at Cangai were fired with timber obtained Investigations for a New Route from the neighbouring hills and the cleared areas on the hillsides which can be seen from the new road are the In 1935, investigations were commenced with a view results of the timber getters’ operations. to providing a road more SUitdbk for motor traffic. 71, MAIN ROADS Vol. 26. No. 3

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Li was found that local improvements and widening views of the Mann River Valley are obtainable. From on the existing road would involve extremely heavy the foot. the route follows up the Mann River Valley on expense without providing a satisfactory road on some undulating grades, with occasional heavy cuts, to cross sections. No suitable location was found in the vicinity the Mann River at Jackadgery. From Jackadgery to of the existing route and attention was directed to a the existing Gwydir Highway near South Grafton, th'c locality to the north. near Jackadgery. where major general route of a local access road is followed through streams converge to a single stream (the Mann River) the foothills. and the tableland projects easterly along Cangai Spur A bitumen surfacc has been provided on the new to niect the easier foothill country. An attempted route from Grafton out to 24 miles and a further length ascent to Cangai Spur was abandoned on account of has been provided between 46 and SI miles from dillicultics encountered on the escarpment and at a Grafton. The remainder of the road will be bitumen saddle in the spur which is broken by granite cliffs. surfaced progressively as funds become available. Investigations then carried out near Dandahra Creek. The distance between Glen lnnes and Grafton via a tributary of the Mann River further downstream, the new road is about 98 miles compared with 108 indicated ninre suitable conditions for an ascent and at miles on the old road and travelling time by car has that stage. in 1937, aerial photographs were taken to been reduced from 3$ hours to about 24 hours. The cnver the escarpment in The Big Hill and Dandahra formation is mostly 28 feet wide with a 20 feet pave- Creek areas. Thesz aerial photographs were the first ment, but widths have been reduced tn a 24 feet forma- used by the Department of Main Roads for road loca- tion with an 18 feet pavement for a length of seven tion purposes in New South Wales. The photographs niiles on the mountain section. Travelling conditions revealed no new possibilities in The Big Hill area and are thus vastly superior to those on the old road, where further investigations for the desccnt were then centred in many places the formation is barely wide enough for on the Dandahra Creek area. A map of the topo- two vehicles abreast. graphical features in the Dandahra Creek area was coni- piled by a minor control plot from aerial photographs, Action was taken. with the co-operation of the and field investigation was recommenced in 1938. Department of Lands and the Forestry Commission, to preserve large areas of the natural forest growth The main problem was to find a continuous strip ot mostly softwood, on the mountain sides where the road suitable country on the escarpment about 10 miles long descends to the Mann River Valley. to support a descent of about 3.000 ft. from the table- land. Suitable country was available on the easier slopes near the crests of watersheds, but the lower Construction Operations slopes were generally too steep and broken by deep On account of the magnitude of the work, it was gullies to support a road. apparent that special financing would be necessary if it The most favourable feature to support about halt were to be completed quickly. This could not be of the descent was the main spur between Coonibwljha arranged, however, without interfering with Main Road Creek and Dandahra Creek, which fell in stages towards iniprovenvmt work elsewhere in the State and the con. a saddle known as Gundah Gap. A line was located struction of the new route was, of necessity, spread near the crest of this spur and continued for the remain- over a period of years. ing descent beyond Gundah Gap. thence following ln 1939, when there was a need to provide wnrks for minor spurs to the foot. The lower part of this line the relief of unemployment, construction of the new had to be abandoned when tests were made later on account of the doubtful stability of a short length The abandoned section was replaced by a line follow- Descending the Gibraltar Ranqe 45.5 miles from CraEton ing a spur known as McKee's Spur rising from Cnnil? Creek.

The New Route Thc new route from Glen Innes to Grafton follows the existing road over rolling to hilly tableland countrv to a point 21 miles east of Glen Innes. The deviation then passes fnr about 2.5 miles through eucalyptus forests and undulating tableland country in the viciniLv of Gibraltar Range, on an elevation corresrmndiny approximately to that of Glen Innes, about 3.500 feet The descent of about 3,000 feet from the tableland is then made on a length of about 11 miles on aa average grade of about 5.3% with nlaxirnuni grades of 7%. This descent is mainly through dense rain-forest inter- spersed with hardwood timber on side slopes which, although steep. are considerably easier and less broken than the average slopes of the escarpment. Splendid These larger trees were then auger bored radially and shattered with explosives, so that they could be handled by the dozers. On rocky sideling ground, felling of timber by hand was at times necessary. Timber so felled was pulled clear with tractors and ropes. Eurthworks: The work on Gibraltar Range involved up to 80,000 cubic yards of earthworks per mile which can be classed as very heavy construction. Formation work was commenced by cutting a scraper track along the tops of cuttings and toes of fills, the latter serving to key the filling into the natural surface. Earth was moved by dozing on short leads and also where a predominance of granite boulders prohibited the use of tractor scraper units. As the fillings gained height, additional benches were cut into the natural surface to assist bond. Wales, the Hon. R. 1. HelTron, Drilling and blasting were restricted lo large granite t the Lookout named after him boulders, which were blasted to a size within the capacity of the earth-moving plant and to outcrops of road was put in hand fro1ii centres established at Gib. silicified shale. Considerable drilling and blasting were raltar Range and at Jack adgery. Ry October, 1942 necessary. The use of tungsten carbide tippcd drill wartime activities made it necessary IO suspend opera. steels gave drilling rates up to six inches per minute lions. in granite and nine inches per minute in shale. At the end of 1946. WO'rk was resumed on a normal The Gibraltar Range is subject to rainfall of upwards basis, but was suspended about a year later when it of 90 inches per year and tests indicated that, even in hccanie necessary to divert men and plant to construct fine weather, the moisture content of the soil was up forestry roads in the upp~ir Hastings River area, con- to 30 per cent.: compaction of fills therefore required sidered urgent and essentii11 tu facilitate timber produc- careful treatment. It was found that careful routing tion for housing purposes. Financial difficulties result- of plant suppleniented by the sheepsfoot roller resulted ing from rising costs, anc1 the urgency of works else- in 95 per cent. compaction at optimum nioisture con- where, rendered it iniprac:ticable to resunie operations tent of about 20 per cent. until January 1955. when road construction was again put in hand in the Gibra ltar Range area. and bridge Puvcmerzt: construction and minor ea rthworks were put in hand in There were very few deposits of natural gravel suit- the Mann River Valley. able for road-making in the Gibraltar Range area, and The construction of the new route was carried out by silicified shale was used for base course malerial in the Department of Main Roads, partly by day labour ordcr to conserve the limited available quantities of and partly by contract. The most difticult lengths granite gravel suitable for a surface course prior to were on the ascent of Gib1-altar Range and on the blulfs surfacing with bitumen. The shale was generally along the Mann River. 7'he work on thcse lengths was obtained by widening cuttings by drilling and blasting, carried out by the Depairtment's own forces and the loading by excavator and haulage by lorries, and after details of construction wI hich follow refer particularly spreading, was broken down and compacted by roller to these lengths. and grader. On account of the shortage of natural gravel in the vicinity of this length of construction, LTAR RANGE AREA long hauls of material for the surface course were neces- WORK IN GIBRAl sary. Clcuring : Drainage : Gibraltar Range is he avily tinibcred, and clearing was a major part of the work. Many trees of up to Apart from the large number of pipe culverts S feet in diameter were encountered. The average required. creek crossings generally did not present great clearing width was about 100 feet, and the work was problems. An exception, however, was a 10 ft. x 10 carried out by a gang comprising 10 to 12 men with ft. reinforced concrete box culvert in a steep gully at tractor-dozers. Owing tcI the steep side slopes, it was 54 miles from Glen Innes, where a fill height of 50 ft. found by experience that clearing was best effected by necessitated a culvert 168 ft. long. The watercourse dozing straight down the' slopes. Use of cables and had a rock bed and accordingly the culvert was con- logging winches did not prove satisfactory. structed without an invert slab, but with wall and roof thicknesses of up to 2 feet. All timber and undergr owth which could be handled cleared, leaving trees greater Where dcep fills were necessary, culverts were gener- liameter standing in the open. ally constructed on the flanks of gullies as the fills rose, was found in the construction of concrete lined contour drains at 15 feet to 20 feet vertical inter- vals, interceptinq surface flow before concentra- tion and velocity of flow became appreciable. On carlier work (47 miles to 52.5 miles) con- crete lined drains were sunk below the surface ot the batter and the characteristic herringbone pat- tern is visible from distances of many miles. On later work (52.5 miles to 54 miles). the drains were not set below the batter line. but berms 3 feet wide were constructed at the same 15 feet to 20 feet vertical iiitcrvals and a smaller “berm drain” was sullicient. The berms also contribute towards the stability of the slopes. Steel and concrete bridge over Dandahra Creek In sonie instances where heavy seepag: occur> even these measures were found insuihcient to drain water and prevent sloughing of saturated to economise on length and to avoid excessive loading material. In these cases subsoil drains. of both on the pipes. Pitched outlets were generally construc- agricultural pipes and of perforated corrugated ted at each culvert to avoid the possibility of future metal, were provided. scour at the toes of fills. (c) Rr-~.~tiil~li,sliii~~~iitoj iqvtcrtioti: I’rolectbrl of hatters irr cuts: Thcse drainage measures were not sufficient to On the section 47 miles to 54 miles from Glen Innes. prevent surface erosion caused by seepage cnierg- the conibination of steep natural slopes. deep cuts, ing on the surface of the batters between contour granitic soils and a rainfall average of 90 inches per drains and by rain falling on the surface of the year posed a number of construction problems not batters between contour drains and by rain falling normally encountered. These are outlined in the on the surface of batters in both cuts and fills. following paragraphs. Vegetation cover was necessary to protect these surfaces. ((I) Stuhility oj htrtter.s: The natural vegetation on undisturbed but Where deep cuts were niadc in the clayey soil equally steep slopes was observed as adequate to overlying rock, it was found that the usual 1 : 1 prevent erosion and the ultimatc aini is the re- slope in cuts would not remain stable after pro- establishment of the native llora on batters. In longed rainy periods, and would result in periodic view of the fact that rnost of the batlers lacked minor slides blocking drains. culverts and at times humus this process if unaided could be unacccpt- the pavement itself. In order t~ avoid interfer- ably slow. ence to trafic and heavy maintenance work. the The advice of the Soil Conservation Commis- batters were flattened generally to a slope of 2 sion was obtained and action was directed towards (hori7ontal) to I (vertical). the provision of some quick growing temporary The flatter batters in the steeply sloping country cover, which would provide early protection, increased very considerably the length of the incrense the fertility of the soil and allow the slopes denuded of vegetation and batters in cuts eventual growth of native spcciniens. As a result. excecding 300 feet in length were frequent. This it is proposed to sow a mixture of Cereal Kye. increased the problem of scour prevention, but White Clover, Rhodes grass and Paspalum. c:n the other hand was beneficial in redticins the (tl) Scorrr protecticirl irr nufurrrl Riillies: vslocitv of surface flow and in making revegetation soniewh:it easier. Where natural drainage channels leading to cul- verts flow down batters of cuts and where outlets (6) Scour prrvtwiiorz in cuts: from culverts flow in crcdible soil. the inlet arid As stated earlier, the lengths of batters in cut.; outlet chaniicls were lined with rubble set in nior- were considerable and in the easily erodible grani- tar arid reinforced with welded wire niesh fabric. tic soils prcvention of surface scouring leading to The contour drains mcntioned previously usually gullyiiig was necessary. discliwgc into such lined draiiis. In some cases full lining of the drains was connidercd to be Thc usu:il catchdrains above the limits of the unnecessary and scour stops consisting of concrete cuts were provided to intercept and divert surface bars across the drain are expected to provide H~nv. Surface soil was generally deep and perme- sullicient protection. ability variable, and it was found that seepage dis- chnrgcd on the surface of long batters at several (c) Lorid s1ide.s : lev:l; below thc top of the cut. in volumes causing Two instances of major landslides wcrc encoun- seriods erosion. The solution to this problem tered during conatruction both in sideling cuts. 19

~~~ ~~

with long slopes of fill. At 48.1 milcs from Glen The material wa IS hauled by contract lorries and tipped Innes, fill was placed over badly fissured shale on to the road where initial spreading was done by a and planted with kikuyu grass. After a period of tractor-do7er. 'This machine assisted in breaking down satisfactory performance, a prolonged rainy period the harder lump1s of the material. The final spreading apparently allowed saturation of the fill under a was done by hemy duty graders and compaction was dense cover of grass, resulting in a sudden slide effected by the use of 10/12 ton smooth tyred and 3: of about 1,500 cubic yards of the fill, encroach- ton single roll v ibratory rollers. ing into the formation. At approximately SO miles from Glen Innes BRIDGEWORKS near a curve, unsuitable filling material became The llew rou te, as well as crossing the Mann and saturated and sloughed away, blocking culverts orara~i~~~~. roses many creeks, some of them fast and the road at a lower level. flowing and sub;ject to heavy flooding, and the construc- In both instances, the road has been relocated in tion of high lev el bridges was necessary to enable the solid cut and no repetition of the trouble is road to be kept opcn in times of flood. The largest expected. of these, that 07 /er the Mann River at Jackadgery. now in course of COnstruction by contract and expected to WORK IN MANN RIVER VALLEY- be completed ir1 July, 1961, will be 926 ft. in length JACKADGERY AREA and will rise tc a height of 90 ft. above the normal water level. lt is designed to carry the Highway over In June, 1959, the Dcpartment commenced full scale the highest Roo d ever experienced in the Mann River day labour operations between 23 miles and 41 miles at this point. The bridge is a nine span prestressed from Grafton, the work being carried out from head- concrete girder deck structure made up of 7/105' spans quarters established at Jackadgery. (Construction and 2/95' 6'' SIians. between three miles and 23 miles from Grafton along the general route of a local access road was carried A culvert cc mstructcd by the Department by day out by contract to the Department.) labour at Hill 's Creek, consisting of two 150 in. diameter steel Ipipes, 130 ft. in length, is one of the Eurthworks ur7d gruvellirig : longest of its ty pe in Australia. The most difficult lengths of construction were at Construction of the remaining bridges was carried Mulligan's and Cangai Bluffs where the road runs out by the DerIartment of Main Roads partly by day alongside the Mann River. labour forces iind partly by contract. The Depart- The material used for the pavement was a silicified ment's day la1lour bridge organisation consisted of shale and greywacke obtained from the heavy cuttings approximately 25 men (carpenters and labourers), at Mulligan's and Cangai Bluffs and at Jackadgery Gap. under the cont rol of a Special Grade Foreman. At The winning and loading of the material necessitated one stage this organisation had in progress construc- drilling and blasting and the use of a front end loader. tion of three bt ridges at the same time.

On Gibraltar Range 45 miles from Grafton Prest ressed concrete bridge under construction over the Mann River at Jackadgery

._-* =-* level bridee.U Particulars of the bridges. additional to that over the Mann River at Jackadgery which have been con- structed are as follows:- Cattle Creek 3/30 spans-reinforced concrete slab with stiffened kerbs, at 16 miles from South Grafton. Con- structed by the Department by day labour. Main Creek 5/60 spans-steel plate web girders with concrete deck, at 21 miles from South Grafton. Twin pipe culvert 130 feet long at Hills' Creek Constructed by the Department hy day labour. Dandahra Creek 5/56' 8" spans-R.S.J. girders Jackadgery Creek 4/30' spans-20' skew-preten- with reinforced concrete deck, at sioned concrete beam units, at 42 miles from South Grafton. 29) miles from South Grafton. Constructed by the Department Constructed by the Department bv dav labour. by day labour: ,- Middle Creek 2/35' spans-timber beam with Nogulga Creek 3/30".snans-timber beam trans- longitudinal decking, at 43$ miles verse d'ecking with longitudinal from South Grafton. Construc- sheeting. at 30 miles from South ted by contract. Grafton. Constructed by the Camp Creek 2/35' spans-timber beam Department by day labour. transverse decking with longitu- Cangai Creek 3/35' and 2/30 spans-timber dinal sheeting, at 441 miles from beam-transverse decking with South Grafton. Constructed by longitudinal sheeting, at 35 miles contract. from South Grafton. Construc- ted by contract. Supervision Buck's Creek 3/35' and 2/25' spans-timber The construction of the new route of the Highway beam-transverse decking with was under the general direction of the Department's longitudinal sheeting, at 401 Divisional Engineer, Glen Innes, latterly Mr. G. B. miles from South Grafton. Con- Cranna. and Divisional Engineer, Grafton. latterly Mr. structed by contract. R. J. S. Thomas.

A member of the staff of the Department of Main Roads, Mr. E. F. Mullin. O.B.E., who has the rank of Colonel in the Citizen Military forres, has recently been honoured by appointment to the position of Chief Engineer. 11 CE Works, a newly created port in the Citizen Military Forces. It is the senior posirion in the Royal Australian Engineers, C.M. F. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Mullin, who rerved with the A.I.F. in World War I[, nas Commander, 5th Enqineer Group and, earlier, Commanding Officer, 21 Construction Regiment, a C.M.F. unit whirh is sponsored by the Department of Mnin Roads and other bodies. Mr. Mullin has occupied a number of positions in the Department's rervice, and is at present Materials and Research Engineer. ting Theft

,t made to the National Association of ithorities by its Principal Technical Committee

Plunf, Tmls arid General Store.7: Adequate ies should be provided at worksites for stor- inder lock and key of the small plant, tools ceneral stores required on the work. Such ies might consist of large tool boxes or lock- eds. I Stnull PIunf: Small Plant should be branded and numbered for ready identifi- cation enabling responsibility for safe cus- tody to be established. 1 Twls: Tools should be branded and, wherever possible, painted a conspicuous colour. I General Stores: Issue of general stores to works should be limited to actual require- ments. Srores: The theft of bulk stores, such as aggregate, drainage pipes, timber, etc.. is likely near urban areas where buildinq 3pment is in progress. Under these condi- it is desirable to acquire and fence special for storage. rural areas. such materials should be neatly :d or trimmed so that losses can be detected and reported promptly. wl: Wherever possible, responsibility for ife custody of the various stores and equip- of a work should be clearly established. Not are reasonable precautions more likely to Iserved. but losses are detected and reported 'r. If followed by prompt police investiga- this has a deterrent effect. record should bc kept of the serial numbers )ed or embossed on items such as enqines, etc., to enable identificatioi if stolen and quently recovered. the inner metropolitan area of Pcrth. the watch patrol (i.e.. a security service), has engaged to make regular inspection of sheds, warning lights, etc., at night and over week- To date. this service has been effective in ing thefts. Vol 26, No 3 a2 MAIN ROADS - ~ -~ - ROADS IN RELATION TO

Extract from Report by Commonwealth Senate Select Commitee

In 1959. U Select Committee of the Senate of the Conrrirorrweirltli l’arliunrerit W’US uppointed to enquire into und report on the following niutters: - (LI) Whut. in the opinion (if the Corrzniittee, ure the best rmuns of pronlotin,g sourid rotid strf(,ty pructicrs in Australin.

(h) Whtrt, if my. urc the def;ciencirs iri the methods ut prr.srrrt heiri,g urhptrd in the pror/rotiott of mucl safety requi.sites. (c) To whut prticirlar aspects of the prohlerii could those conrerned with the prornotiorr of raid stifdy rnost ad\wntcr~eous/y direct their efforts. (d) In view of the fuct thut there is a di.sprn~rti(~nutel~Ihigh rute of road accidents u.r.wciuted with the 17-23 years able ,qroup, whut ure the busk ciiiises of the Irixlt rute irr this uhre ,group and wlrot ure tht most eflecfiw steps which riii~*hthe tukerr to rcniecly the .situation. (e) E,\-rlui/inp those furtors which it is not possible to u.sse.ss, such us Io.ss of hu~i~unlife und the suffering of victitix. is it possihle to nteavure the cost to the coninirinity of rod uccideizts in Aitstrulia wising froni - (i ) n~ctteriillctuniu,qe. (ii) loss of rnan hours urd eurning cupucity, urd (iii) cost of treutnient of accidrirt virtirns. The C~jriznzittee’sreport wu.7 hrorc,& out und ordered to he printed, 2 I st Septenrber. 1960. The followirtsq is LI copy of thut part o/ tlie Report which appeurs under tlic heading “Rotid.s”. urd is published for the inforniation of readers of “Main Rouds”. Copies of the full report nic1y he purclrused frorii the Corrirnonwealfh Governrttent, ut n price oj Is. 9d. per copy.

Roads. and the condition of them, are a niajor fac- road use which have a direct association with road tor in safe driving. The unfortunate feature of the safety. The National Association has also drawn up Australian road scene. with its enormous distances and and issued design standards for main roads, and has limited resources of population and finance, is that the shown an awarcness of the need for proper engineer- rate of road development from satisfactory early stan- ing standards and research. This trend towards closer dards to satisfactory modern standards has not been study of road construction and use is greatly stimulated relative to the rate of road use by vehicles of all kinds. by the existence in New South Wales of University While it is clear that attempts are being made to develop courses in Traffic and Highway Engineering, attended road systems based on modern safety standards, the by post-graduate students from both private and govern- lag in achievement is obvious throughout all States. mental activities. These developments are significant and deserve the widest possible support and use. The problem is not being overlooked. as some people may claim. for the Committee received evidence in all On road conditions. as a factor in accident causation States which clearly shows that road authorities are official statistics reveal startling discrepancies. which conscious of the limitations of existing road systems confirm the doubts held in many quarters as lo the and engaged in doin2 their best to overcome thcm. efficacy of them. In statistics where the reporting officer was of the opinion that the condition of the The National Association of Australian State Road road was priniarily responsihle, variations to the follow- Authorities in an effort to increase the effectiveness of ing extent have been produced:- road construction programmes. has established, with For fatal accidents. road conditions are given the assistance of commonwealth moneys and the con- as primarily responsible for 7 per cent. of accidents currence of all State Governments, the Australian in New South Wales nil per cent. in Victoria, and Road Research Board. whose functions are to co-ordin- 4 per cent. in Austraia. For injury-producing ate, encourage and arrange research into road problems, accidents the comparative figures arc 11 per cent., such as road surfaces, traffic flows and other aspects of 0.4 per cent. and 6 per cent. 1961 MAIN ROADS 83

~ ~ .- ~ - ic witness said-“Statistics do not indicate how design standards. Such measures as widening. regrad- xidents are due partly or mainly to roads being ing, hori~ontaland vertical curvature for modern design ipon to carry a greater number of vehicles or speeds. improvement of road shoulders, regulation of ehicles than they were designcd for, to the roadside distraction by advertising. signposting, and :y of iiitcrsccting streets. to points of access to improved street lighting. must all be given the greatest /. to changes of alignment or grading not rcadily possible attention. Evidence shows that State road t to the driver, to the distraction of roadside authorities are aware of these problems. and, where ements, or to inany other features directly or possible, are taking appropriate action. The necessity associated with the road.” for greater resources in this work, however, cannot be overstressed. inescapable conclusion is that, while in theory ionsibility of overcoming deficiencies in driving Street lighting throughout Australia received consid- ns, including road condition, weather, and other erable criticism from witnesses before the Committee. rests ultiniately on the driver, and responsibility In no State is street lighting considered adequate. xt all accidents can, for that reason, be ascribed Over SO per cent. of fatal accidents in Australia occur , improvement of existing roads to certain between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.. with a rela- cnded minimum standards must be given the tion between hours of darkness in sunimcr and winter possible priority. Thc fact that construction conditions, and it is claimed that poor street lighting lair costs are so ininiense at the present time is a suhstantial contributory factor towards this posi- he solution of this problem beyond the financial tion. npowcr resources of local councils and authori- Experiments undertaken in the United Kingdom whom the responsibility often rests, but every have shown that good strcct lighting can contribute means of assisting in this aspect of road towards a reduction of up to 30 per cent. in the acci- Iork should be explored, if necessary by special dents which occur during the hours of darkness. Light- ice between Conmionwealth and State authori- ing of a standard which permits driving by parking lights instead of headlights immediately removes the established hazards of headlight glare. apart from other principle of segregation of traffic has bccn obvious benefits to pedestrian and driver alike. i as the most effective means of reducing acci- y road construction methods. with the extreme The Committee is aware that the subject of street nient of freeways and limited access roads in lighting is receiving close examination by experts. who countries, A!though these major developments arc the appropriatc people to make recommendations ieir own attendant problems, and require effec- upon it, and therefore makes no comment upon the orcement rncasures upon them they are an idcal matter other than to rccnrd the necessity of overcom- t is generally agreed in Australia must remain ing, as urgently as possible. the present unsatisfactory 11 for a considerable time as the solution to position. Too often the responsibility for street lipht- road problems. ing is a function of local government authorities who. in most instances, have not the finance or technical development of such roads in restricted areas competence to achieve desirable standards. while Main ‘ever. an immediate financial reality, and the Roads Ikpartnicnts have neither authority to prescribe ttze was shown cxamples of recently completed standards nor financial responsibility to undertake their rhere this had been done. While the dcvelop- achievement. In the interests of the safety of the com- F such roads is to bc encouraged wherever pos- munity. a solution to this vexing situation should be he difficulty of their widespread construction regarded by the relevant authorities as a matter of tically insurmountable under present financial great urgency. ments and limitations. ted segregation of traffic, by means of divided Recommendations ys and median strips. on the other hand. is a 11 solution which is widely accepted and is being (I ) Design standards of all types of roads should be 1 in many places throughout Australia. More established. The use of road markings, road isivc than the construction of new highways, but signs and traffic signals should be in accordance :less an expensive opcration. the conversion of with as uniform a code as possible throughout the ys to divided highways by the construction of Commonwealth. strips (which also act as pedestrian refuges), i to he the most practical single solution to the (2) Construction of nlaior roads should be on the ian roads problem from the point of view of basis of providing divided carriageways for traffic. fety. (3) An immediate programme should be drawn UP ig with this aspect of road improvement must for the modernization of street lighting in all :n the alteration of existing roads to reasonable States. QUEENSLAND

Historical Road THE CASBbEl

HEN selecting names for the Stale Highways of New South Wales. the Department of Main Roads has generally drawn u on the names of explorers. or some geographical feat1 re. associated with the route of the highway for which a name is being selected. In the case of the Castlereagh Highway, the names of the explorers who pciietrated the area through which the Highway passes, had already been perpetuated in the Oxley, Sturt and Mitchell Highways. respectively. and the name “Castlereagh” was selected because. for much of the length of the Highway, it runs pnrallcl with and close to the . The Castlereagh Highway (State Highway No. 18) coniniences at Gilgandra. where it connects with the (State Highway No. 17) and the Oxley Highway (State Highway No. I I), and runs for 213 niiles in a north to north-westerly direction through the Shircs of Gilgandra. , Walgett. and Brewar- rina, to the Queensland border, near Hebel. The coun- try through which it passes is niostly pastoral in charac- ter and forms part of the vast inland plains of the west- ern interior. Close to the Highway. but not on it, is the opal-mining centre of Lightning Ridge, said to be the only place at which the distinctive “black” opal is found. With this exception, thc country served by the Castlereagh Highway is given over, almost entirely. to the raising of sheep and cattle and related industry. Locality sketch Discovery of the Castlereagh River In 1813. following several attempts to penetrate the I, mountain barrier which confined the settlement at Port Jackson to a comparatively narrow strip of coast:il land. a practicable route over the Blue Mountains was found. resulting in the despatch of the Dcputy Survepor- General. G. W. Evans. to survey the route and to penetrate into the western interior. In the course of his exploration. E,vans discovered a river which he named the “Macquarie” and entered an area of country which he was “at a loss for words to describe”. The need for increased pastures and cul- tivable land. in order to provide for the needs of the rapidly-increasing colony. was so great that immediate steps were takcn for the building of a road over the mountains to give accm to the newly-discovered lands.

The Macquarie River shortly afler emerging from the ~ Macquarie Marshes mtli Wales HIGHWAY

on the road was commenced on July 18, 1814. lards the end of April in the following year )r Macquarie, with his wife and an official The Macquarie Marshes icluding Evans, travelled river the new road and :d into the country of which Evans had given ,wing accounts. The Governor was equally stic and he directed Evans to further his ion and, in particular, to examine the country the south and west. In the pursuit of these ons Evans discovered another river flowing, Macquarie, towards the west. which he named :hlan”.

J believed that the two rivers would be found r rich and extensive tracts of country and in 1817, an expedition led by the Surveyor- , John Oxley, set out to trace the courses of rs and to ascertain the nature of the country tered.

first directed his attcntion to the Lachlan River followed its windings until its waters were lost :cession of marshes from which there appeared ) outlet. In the following year, Oxley followed rse of the Macquarie River, but was again by interminable marshcs and beds of high iich made progress towards the west impossible.

his observations on both journeys, Oxley came :onclusion that the country beyond the points reached was of a uniform level and, for the rt, uninhabitable. He recorded in his Journal : country over which he had travelled bore kahle Sims of freuuent and extensive inunda- loth of his journeys Oxley was accompanied W. Evans and when it was found that further ; towards the west was not practicable, Evans t to cxamine the country to the north-east, in irection Oxley proposed to extend his explora- Progress in this direction was. however. also o be impossiblc due to the many channels in iater was flowing through beds of high reeds, but 3urse of his search for a practicable route, Evans :Toss another river. widcr than the Macquarie

of the Castlereaqh River at Gilgandra during a dry spell ~ 86 MAIN ROADS Vol. 26. No. 3 but not so deep. flowing towards the north. As the Sturt reached the Castlereagh River on the 10th country in the direction of this river seemed to offer March, 1829, but although its channel was some 130 prospects of an escape from the marshes they had been yards wide there was no water whatever. The river bed unable to penetrate. Oxley determined to make an consisted of sand and reeds. Sturt pushed on beside the easterly course to the new river which he “honoured channel exploring a network of tributary creeks, often with the nanic of Lord Castlereagh”. at the point of perishing for lack of water, but for forty- Being still convinced of the existence of an inland five miles the bed of the Castlereagh River was absolu- sea, Oxley wrote in his narrative of the journcy- tely dry. When later descrihing his experiences. Sturt “Castlereagh River is certainly a stream of great ma&- wrote-“During the short interval I had been out I had nitude; its channel is divided by numerous islands seen rivers cease to flow before me and sheets of water covered with trees; it measured in its narrowest part disappear . . . . So long had the drought continued one hundred and eighty yards and the flood that had that the vegetable kingdom was almost annihilated and now risen in it was such as lo preclude any attempt minor vegctation had disappeared . . . , The largest to cross it. . . . This river doubtless discharges itself forest trees were drooping and many were dead. The into that interior gulf in which the waters of the Mac- emus with outstretched necks, gasping for breath, quarie are nierged. . . . .”. searched the channels of the rivers for water. in vain; and the native dog. so thin that it could hardly walk. Exploration and Settlement of the Castlereagh seemed to implore some merciful hand to despatch it”. Country In Vic hope of finding some detached pond from The information brought back by Evans concerning which water could be obtained, Sturt retraced his steps the hehaviour of the Castlereagh River, and Oxley’s but turned aside to follow a sniall channel or depres- own experience whcn he crossed the river at a point sion which proved to be an outflow of the Macquaric considerably up-stream from lhat at which Evans had marshes, watcrs of which, after trickling through the crossed. strengthened Oxley’s belief that the Castle- reeds, found their way into the Castlereagh River and reagh River terminated. as the Lachlan and Macquarie later, the River Darling. Rivers did. in a succession of marshes and that their The discovery of this outlet from the marshes enabled united waters formed an inland sea or basin. The Sturt “to put to rest for ever a question of much pre- flooded state of the country did not permit him to test vious doubt”. “Of whatevcr extent the marshes of the correctness, or otherwise. of his theory and although Macquarie might be”. he wrote in his narrative of L(ie Oxley was convinced that his view was a correct one, expedition, “it was evident they were not connected doubt concerning the nature of the country he had been with those of the Lachlan. I had gained a knowlcdgc unable to explore, remained for several years after his of more than 100 miles of the western interior and dea t ti. had ascertained that no sea, indeed that little water. In 1828. in an attempt to resolve the doubt, Governor existed on its surface; and that, although it was gener- Ilarling appointed Captain Charles Sturt to lead an ally flat, it still has elevations of considerable magnitude expedition to investigate the nature and extent of the upon it”. marshes which stopped Oxley’s progress in 1817 and Sir Thomas Mitchell visited the Castlereagh River 1818. Sturt was instructed to endeavour to determine 1846 the fate of the Macquarie Rivcr by tracing it as far as area in as the leader of an expedition seeking an overland route connecting the settled districts of New possible beyond the point to which Oxley had pen- South Wales with a port on the shores of the Indian etrated and by pushing westward “to ascertain if there (were) any high lands in that direction or if the Ocean. country (was) as it (was) supposed, an unbroken level Mitchell had intended following a route earlier taken and under water”. by him to Fort Bourke and from thence, by a large The conditions which had been experienced by Oxley river which he believed would be found flowing north- in 1818 were in marked contrast to those existing in ward to discharge into the Gulf of Carpentaria. Such a 1829 when Sturt arrived in tCie Castlereagh country. river did not, in fact, exist hut the absence of water On 25th July. 1818, Oxley had written in his Journal- deterred him from venturing into unexplored coirntry “At nine o’clock we set forward with anxious hopes of before rain fell and when about thirty miles north of reaching Castlereagh River in the course of the day: we Nyngan, he turned east in the hope of finding water in struggled for nine miles through a line of country that the Macquarie River. In this he was not disappointed ballles all description: we were literally up to the middle as, although the river bed was dry when he reached in water the whole way . . . . Mr. Evans thinking we it on February 22, 1846, within a few hours of his could not he very far from the river. went forward a arrival, the river became flooded and all anxiety con- couple of miles when he came upon its banks. This cerning the sunply of water for thc narty ceased. same river which last Wednesday week had been Mitchell followed the Macquarie to its iunction with crossed without any difficulty, was now nearly on a level the Castlereagh River which he then followed to its with its first or inner bank and its width and rapidity junction with the Darling River. This he crossed on precluded all hope of our being able to cross it until its March 4. 1846, and continued his journey through subsidence . . . . It was most providential that Mr. country now crossed by the Castlereagh Highway. to Evans and his companions crossed the river when they the border of what is now Queensland. at Hebel, the did ; a single day might have proved fatal to them”. terminating point of the Highway. March, 1961 MAIN ROADS 87 ~ ~- ~-

Exploration of the Castlereagh River country was auction then commenced. Land was not usually sold more or less incidental to the purposes of the ex- until it had been surveyed but the need for grazing plorers. The discovery of the river resulted from the land had led to the occuyation of large areas of the conclusion rea iched by Oxley that further progress to outback country by “squatters” who, technically, were the west was iinpracticable and to his decision to return trespassers on Crown lands. Official recognition was, to Sydney by way of the coast. Sturt’s main purpose however, given to this occupation by the issue annually was to deterni ine the nature and extent of the marshes of grazing licences, but the owners of the stock had no of the Lachlar1 and Macquarie Rivers and his explora- fixed boundaries and no security of tenure. As a result tion of the CIsuntry bordering the Castlereagh River of the Land Acts of 1846 and Imperial Orders-in- was secondary to his search for water. The same may Council of the following year, the “squatters” were be $aid of Mi,tchell’s journey through the area. Had given security without purchase but they were required there been any prospect of finding water along the route to apply for the areas they occupied and to define the he had intend,ed following northwards of Fort Bourke boundaries of their runs. In the Government Gazette he would not have travelled along the line of the of September 21, 1848, there is recorded a claim by Castlereagh H ighway, at least not in 1846. By this Janies Walker for a lease of the Crown lands known date settlemen t was well established along the route of as his “Koonamble” run which then covered 50.000 the future hi1;hway and the discouraging reports of acres and was estimated to be capable of carrying Oxley and Stuirt did not appear to have prevented the 15.000 head of cattle. Walker is believed to have been settlement wh ich followed closely in their footsteps. the first to have been granted a grazing licence in the Settlement wa s in fact prompted. primarily, by the Castlereagh River area. desire of the oastoralists for new and more extensive By 1848 settlement along the river exten.ded from the pastures for tl leir rapidly increasing flocks and herds. present locality of . in the south, to that of There is $01ne uncertainty as to the date settlement Walgett in the north. According to “A Geographical of the Castler‘eagh River area actually bcgan hut by Dictionary and Gaieteer” (W. H. Wells) published in 1840 several I:arge runs had been established. One of that year, therc were contained in the squatting District the earliest set1:lers on the river was John Ross Paterson, a Scottish carpenter who arrived in Sydney in about 1837 with the intention of working at his trade. The prevailing coniditions in Sydney being not to his liking, The Castlereagh Highway near he travelled in land and secured employment on a cattle station called “Wallerowong” near to which the town of Wallerawarig is now located and from which the town takes its name. The occupier of this station was one James W;alkcr, also born in Scotland, who, after service under IYelson at Copenhagen, canie to Australia in 1823 to en€;age in pastoral pursuits. Soon after his arrival at “Wa Ilerowong”. Paterson was sent by Walker to search for grazing land and with a pack train of donkeys and an aboriginal guide, he travelled north through 130 IT-des of unexplored country to the Castle- reagh River which he reached at a point near to where Mendooran is now situated. Here he established. on behalf of Walk:er, a station which they called “Caigan”. At about th e same time a run was taken up at Bul- larora, some 100 miles north of the point which Pater- son had reachr :d. and some time later this was combined with an adjoin ing run called “Wingadee”. the two runs embracing a tc)tal area of 360.000 acres. It is on record that durine th e early ’~O’S, 260,000 sheep were shorn 07 the combinled properties. By 1846 severa1 stations had been established by James Walker along the banks of the Castlereagh River, the head one of which he called “Canamble”. There is in existence an official clan. dated 1847. which shows “Canamble” SIluattage owned bv Walker at the junction of “Canamble ” (Coonamble) Creek and the Castle- reagh River. The town of Coonamble is now located on the site. The early Sovernors had had authority to make grants of land to suitable persons, but the system of grants was abolished in 1831 and the sale of land by 88 MAIN ROADS Val. 26. No. 3.

The \\ arrairihun~.lc\loiintains froiii the Ca$tl~r~:igIiHighwag of Bligh alone, a population of 788 and stock nuniber- and the natural ccntre of the surrounding plains. The ing 35.754 head of horned cattle and more than “Koonanible” run covered a largc extent of country 124.0(x) sheen. The District of Bligh covered only the bordering the river and the tracks formed by the move- more southcrly section of country through which the ment of cattle, and later sheep. bctween the stations of Castlereagh Highway now passes. the run. laid the foundations of the road which was to be named, nearly 100 years later. the Castlereagh Road Communications Highway. In the early stages of settlement. and especially in the sparsely settled districts, it was necessary for travel- The road system now existing in the Castlereagh River lers to keep as close as possible to the rivers or streams area began to emerge soon after setllement commenced. which gave some prospects of water supplies during On a map prepared in 1852 for the use of the Post their journeys. To venture far from thc known sources Ofice Department. a post road to the river at Men- of water supply was extrcniely hazardous, particularly dooran is shown. This road branched from the Bathurst in the vast plains of the western country, and the tracks Road at Bowenfels from where it went direct to Men- made by the settlers and their stock followed, wherever dooran via . At Mendooran mail and supplies postible. the rivers or creeks on which they could were distributed over a number of tracks leading to the rearonably depend. stations which had been established along the course Situated as it was on the banks of the Castlereagh of the river. Another road connecting Newcastle with River, the “Canamble” station of James Walker became Walgett is also shown. but this did not pass directly a converging point for the early settlers and overlanders through country served by the Castlereagh Highway.

The Castlereagh Highway passing through W’alCett a March. 1961 MAIN ROADS 89

It ran via Singleton, Muswellbrook, Murrurundi, Breeza as a State Highway. It received the name of Castlereagh and Wee Waa to Walgett. where it ended. Highway in 1954. In an “Atlas of the Settled Counties of New South Wales”. the datc of publication of which is unknown, The Name “Castlereagh” there was included a “Road and Distance Map” on The Viscount Castlereagh, after whom Oxley named which a road commencing at “Mundooran” is shown to the Castlereagh River, was the son of an Ulster land- have followed the Castlereagh River, via Gilgandra, to owner and was educated in Ireland and at St. John’s Coonamble. From there this road went in an easterly College, Cambridge. In 1790 he was elected a member direction to Barddine and then north-westerly to Walgett of the Irish House of Commons and in 1798 was instru- and Brenda on the Queensland border. The road from mental in securing the passagc of the Act of Union Newcastle to Walgett shown on the Postal Map of 1x52 which ended the Irish Parliament. is also marked on this map. but there is also shown In 1812 hc succeeded Wellesley (afterwards Duke of a hranch. starting from Muswellbrook and running Wellington) as British Foreign Secretary. In this through Cassilis, and Baradine where position he has been stated as having exercised a the road from Coonamble joined it and continued on to moderating inHuence amongst the great powers follow- Walgett and Brenda. ins the defeat and subsequent death of Napoleon. One Although the date of these maps is uncertain, thcrc of his more important utterances was that the business is evidence to support the belief that they were drawn of the great powers “was not to collect trophies but between 1866 and 1870. to bring back the world to peaceful habits”.

The Barwon River near \Valgett Looking towards Angledool on the Castlereazh Highway

A niap of New South Wales showing stock routes, At the time of the discovery of the Castlereagh River tanks, wells and trucking stations was issued by the by Evans, he was Secretary of State for the Colonies Department of Lands in 1884. On this a travelling stock and Leader of the House of Commons. route is shown following the river from Gilgandra to Walgett and from thence, by several tracks, to the Queensland border. In the following year a map was Acknowledgements prepared by the Postal Department to show the postal stations. mail roads and telegraph lines in New South Material used in the preparation of this article was Walcs. This map showed a “mail road” running north- obtained from- wards from Gilgandra through Curhan, Gulargambone, The Mitchell Library, Sydney. Coonamble, Walgett and Angledool to the Queensland border. ‘I’he route of this road was almost exactly that “Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of now taken hy the Castlereagh Highway. Rv 188.5 at New South Wales”-John Oxley. latest, therefore, the line of the future Highway had been fully established. “Two Expeditions into the [nterior of Southern Australia”-Charles Sturt. A scheme of classification of Main Roads in New South Wales was adopted in 1928 as a result of which Journals and Proceedings of the Royal Australian the road now known as the Castlereagh Highway was Historical Society. classified as a Trunk Road. In 1938. it was reclassified -S.G.P. -PART 3- Planning and Design of Uri

(Extracts from a report by Mr. M. V. Douglas, It was sometimes stated that all elements of design Design and Urban Planning Engineer, Department of standards used were in balance and consistent with the Main Roads, New South Wales, following an Overseas adopted design speed, hut critical examination showed missinn to investigate and report on latest developments that there were some departures from this balance, as in the planning and design of urban expressways.) follows:-

DESIGN SPEED (U) Provision, wherever practicable, of sight distance In United States thc nominal design speed for urban for design speed 10 m.p.h. greater than the nominal freeways is. with few exceptions. SO or 60 m.p.h. The design speed (this has considerable support). Bureau of Public Roads appears to accept whichever of those two design speeds is proposed by the individual (b) Only a limited number of States gives effect to the States. with the reservations that- demonstrated need for climbing lanes for trucks on urban freeways. (LI) in some tight situations 40 m.p.h. can and should be adopted; (c) The design of acceleration-merging and deceleration (h) adoption of the 60 m.p.h. design speed usually is lanes is based on several assumptions and on the not justified where it involves general major in- operating characteristics of cars, not trucks. ln crease in cost or in interference to property. many cases designs are such that trucks and, to a 1. Fort Worth. (“ The Mixmaster ”) recently constructed 2. Detroit. Interchange of John C. Lodge and Edsel Ford Expressways

lesser extent. cars enter or depart from the line of vehicles in the outsidc lane at speeds below that at which traffic in that lane is assumed to operate. (rl) Fairly generally some elements of the geometric E standards on viaducts arc lower than on normal construction for the same nominal design speed. There is incomplete and conflicting data on the rela- tionships between design speed on the one hand and peak hour average speed. speed distributions and capa- city, on the other hand. But there now is evidence that, even with some traffic volumes in excess of design capacity. the average speed on a road of 60 m.p.h. design speed tends to be greater than the average speed likely to exist with similar traffic densities on a road of 50 m.p.h. design speed. Indications are that with an avcrage speed of about 45 miles per hour at peak hour, as applies on many freeways carrying heavy volumes. there is better margin of safety against speed falling so low as to cause reduction in traffic capacity.

DESIGN TRAFFIC CAPACITY The Highway Capacity Manual is well known and frequently quoted in Europe. but thcrc is a tendency there to use a design capacity something higher than 1.500 vehicles per lane per hour. To an important extent 1,800 vehicles per hour is used, but as far as

reways Overseas

could be ascertained, this is based on opinion arid con- servation of funds rather than on observation of traffic :lows. In United States the figure of 1,500 is generally used for urbsn freeways. In some areas 1,300 is used, but some say the figure should be higher than 1,500 though they do not commit themselves to a particular value. Examination of some adopted plans showed design loadings in excess of 1,500 and on the adopted plan in one city there is allocated to two short sections the design loading of 2.000 vehicles per lane. Records show that where grades are minus or small and there - ~ ~~~ .____ 3. Ikeoit. John C. LodRe Expressway. Traffic at time photograph was taken was at the rate of approximately 2,000 vehicles per lane on the three through lanes towards camera 4. Los Angeles. Four-level interchange viewed from Sunset Rnulevard 92 MAIN ROADS Vol. 26. No. 3. are few or no trucks thcn volumes in the range 1,700 to 2,000 are not unusual, and during the visit several flows a little above and below 2,000 per lane avcrage were observed moving quite freely. An individual median lane flow of up to 2.400 vehicles pcr hour has been recorded. The combination of even a very small number of trucks and ascending grade can reduce c;jpacity to a niarkcd extent where. as is fairly usual, cllmbing lanes are not provided, and froni discussion it appcars that where the figure of 1.300 is used or proposed it results from observation of traffic operation on grades not having climbing lanes or inadequate acceleration lanes. It is considered that the design capacity of 1,500 vehicles per lane per hour as recommended in A.A.S.H.O. policy and in association with provi- sion uf climbing or ascending grades as provided for in the Department's planning. should be adhered to. There has been sonie upward revision of weaving C'liiraao. 1:dcnr Kxpro\~?:i:. l.hc cable tiwe in llic nicdim capacities as given in Highway Capacity Manual and is to prevent *' I: '' turiis. hotc the exteiil lo which vchirlcs further revision at an early date is expected. have irarelled onto shoulders despite prohihition of this except in emergcnrire INTERCHANGES should not be regarded as models to be copied. The Study of interchanges as constructed. recently de- Pentagon network of parkways at Washington is very signed, and in early stages planning, and of modifica- tions that have been found desirable demonstrate that impressive, but a grade separation is about to be con- great care is necessary to ensure that thoughts of pat- structed to eliminate the worst of the weaving scctions tern type do not take the place of initiative and critical that causes serious congestion and accidents. Those judgment in selecting and designing the general form who designed the network say that if they were now and the individual features of the interchange so that faced with a similar problcni a quite different design in total they are the best practicable in relation to the would be adopted. frceway system as a whole and to all nearby elements , or rotaries. as an element of freeway of the freeways. No one pattern of interchange is best interchanges are used to a much greater extent in for or capable of meeting requirements at all freeway- Europe than in United States. In Europe their use freeway inlerchanges, or at all freeway-street inter- in recent construction is largely limited to freewap- changes. street interchanges and some of thcse are now recog- nised to be a mistake, but in United States there is Freeway-Freeway Interchanges general recognition that even for that purpose there are It will he remembered that although many regard relatively few cases for which they are appropriate. the clovcrleaf type interchange and the famous four- level interchange at Los Angeles as symbols and In United States, particularly, there is great stress examples of the ultimate in roads for motor traffic. it on the fact that each interchange is a major problem has long been known that. even with collector- requiring close study with an open mind and determina- distributor roads to segregate the area of weaving move- tion to design for traffic capacity and safety without ments from through traffic. thc cloverleaf is not suit- particiilar regard to classification of patterns. Freeway- able where major volumes of traffic are to interchange freeway interchanges now being built and others being betwccn two freeways. The four-level interchange at planned are in many cases of greater external visual Los Angeles is a wonderful traffic facility which handles complexity and of increased cost. but have greater about one third of a million vehicles a day, but it and traffic capacity and greater safety; with appropriate nearby features of the freeways arc not an ideal com- signposting, which is an essential element of their biriah~for this particular location; weaving move- design, they are not more complex but easier for ments frequently bring about severe congestion and the motorist to follow. even tcrnporary blockage of traffic. The interchange at Prime considerations of interchange design are suit- the crossing of the John C. Lodge and the Edsel Ford able facilities for such weaving. if any. as is necessary Exprcssways in Detroit has had and continues to have in the vicinity of the interchange, provision of adequate a great measure of publicity, but because of the direc- distance (greater than in A.A.S.H.O. Policy) between tional turns in cornbination with other features in this successive points of decision and between successive locality and because of short spacing between successive points of merging, easy curves, good sight distance. points of decision and between successive points of conditions that lend themselves to signposting clearly nierging. it is not now highly regarded by those defining the routes to be taken, and minimum of pro- responsible for its operation and Detroit has since perty interference consistent with the foregoing. The adopted difkrcrit types of interchange for somewhat extent to which these considerations are met with similar situations in that city. Even these new designs economy is the measure of the suitability of the inter- March. 1961 MAIN ROADS 93

~ change design irrespective of how simple or complex in United States is marred by the inadequacy or omis- thc design would appear from an external viewpoint. sion of deceleration and acceleration-merging lanes. In Of course, whcrever there is a grade separated traffic United States, at least, bad accident rates and conges- intcrchange there is a structure or number of struc- tion have resulted, and in a number of cases where there tures, and the design of these must conform to, not would have been marked dificulties in redesigning the dominate or impair, the gconletric design. ramps this has led to one of the traffic lanes of the through roadway being closed at and in the vicinity of Freeway-Street lnterehanges the ramps. In United States there are differences of Cloverleaf or partial cloverleaf (parclo) interchanges opinion as to the standards that should be adopted, would have sufficient traffic capacity for most of the but there is a marked trend towards higher standards freeway-street interchanges and eliminate all or some than provided for in the A.A.S.H.O. Policy. of the right hand (overseas left hand) turns on the surface street. Accordingly they would allow high MEDIANS traffic capacity in the intersection of ramp and street, Generally speaking, no great amount of attention but the weight of opinion in Europe and United States appears to have been given to traffic engineering aspects is that. except in special circumstances, the diamond of median design in European citles, but in United type of interchange is more appropriate to urban areas States there is increasingly wide recognition of the need because of the fact that it requires much less land than for close attention to median design. An important the cloverleaf or parclo and that experience shows feature is the provision of breakdown strips to accom- that two lane right-hand (ovcrseas left-hand) turns work modate disabled vehicles within the nominal width of well and provide high capacity; generally speaking. the median, because therc is little chance of them safely diamond type can match the capacity of the street, and leaching the outside breakdown strip or shoulder- it forms a particularly good combination with a pair especially on six or eight-lane freeways. In order to of one way streets. The diamond type has been largely prevent vehicles out of control crossing into the oppos- applied in the outline designs for the Main Road ing stream of traffic barrier fences along the centre of Development Plan for Sydney. the median have been added to a number of freeways and are being provided for in many designs for new Earlier in this report it was said that study of plans freeways where the width of median is less than, say, of the general layout of adopted freeway systems could 50 feet which is greater than usually practicable m be misleading if not supported by knowledge of the urban areas. However, some engineers are not con- cities concerned or if not supported by knowledge of vinced that such fences are necessary. There is con- whether each of the plans is really appropriate to its siderable experiment and research towards developing a city, or whether it is now known to be defective but barrier fence which will effectively resist without vio- has yet been altered in the light of current data. Above lently stopping out of control vehicles which enter the it is indicated that the same sort of thing can apply median. Elimination or reduction of headlight glare with freeway to freeway interchanges. The same also between opposing roadway is very desirable and some can apply to freeway-street interchanges. attempts to achieve that are fences, planting and mound- Much of the European freeway construction, both ing in the median; some examples of the latter are old and new, and much of the old freeway construction fairly successful but only where the width of median Chicago. Lake Shore Drive (North Outer Drive). This is the is greater than usually practicablc in urban areas. well known eight-lane expressway with three divider strips There is room for difference of opinion as to the derigned to be raised and lowered hydraulically to allow four or six lanes of traffic in the direction of maximum flow. One of most appropriate design for medians in general, and in the divlder strips can be seen in the right hand foreground, hut as particular locations, but it is clear that safety and traffic the hydraulic system is defective, rubber cones are used to niark capacity of freeways will be best served by provision the divieion hetween the two directions of traffic of medians of sufficient or even liberal width. It is considered that a median of about 24 feet overall width (edge to edge of through pavement) should be provided wherever practicable in urban areas. TRAFFIC LANES Width of Lanes In Europe the width of traffic lane is with few excep- tions very close to 12 feet. In United States and Canada the width of lanes is not less than 12 feet, and lanes adjoininq kerbs are sometimes increased in width by I to 2 feet. In a few cases 1 foot is added to only the outside lane because in general it carries the large vehicles: in other cases 1 foot is added to only the centre lane of a three-lane roadway on the basis that vehicles in that lane have a line of traffic operating on each side, and in still other cases 1 foot is added to only the inside lane for the reason that it carries the high-speed traffic; on one three-lane roadway 1 foot MAIN ROADS Vol. 26. No. 7.

~~ was added to both the inside and outside lane. How- of the length the availability of traliic lanes is shown ever, the width of 12 feet mostly applies to all through simply by red or green light over each lane. In all lanes irrespective of their number. Opinion strongly cases it was stated that operation is quite satisfactory supports the Highway Capacity Manual statement that and there is general agreement that spacing between scts widths less than 12 feet have less traffic capacity, and of lights should be such that at all times a driver has there does not appear to be much opinion in support of at least o:ie set comfortably in view. No opinion ex- 13 feet width. In New York, on part of the Major pressed any support for elaborate mechanical controls. Deegan Expressway built before the war, the width of A1 Chicaqo o? the widely known Lake Shore Drive the 10 feet lanes has been found quite adequate. par- (or Outer Drive) the three lines of hydraulically oper- ticularly with the heavy volume of truck traflic, and ated division strips, designed to be raised or lowered complete reconstruction involving much structure and as required to provide two, four or six lanes for the retaining walls has been undertaken to provide 13 feet major directional flow of traflic. are erratic in operation wide lanes. It is understood that the decision to adopt because of recurring faults in th: hydraulic system. 13 feet wide lanes is not based on a detail study. but is largely a matter of completely guarding against twice No frceway with a roadway completely reversihle making the mistake of constructing lanes too narrow. was seen, but on a freeway now under construction in Regarding types of pavement, in some States or Chicago provision is made for a substantial length of cities only bituminous pavement is used, in others only two-lane reversible roadway within the median. At cement concrete. In still others there are pavements of Seattle a four-lane reversihle roadway is planned for both types. Overall there appears to be a preference the north to south Seattle Freeway along the eastern for cement concrete other than on long bridges. side of the inner city ; on some parts of the length it is t2 be in the median and on others under one of the Reversible Lanes other two roadways each of four lanes. The east to There are reversible traffic lanes on a number of west width of the inner city is very narrow and provision major bridges in the United States. Opinion is strong of still another freeway, additional to the existing Alas- that this arrangement should be resorted to only with kan Way Viaduct on the west side of the city, was really major structures. Generally speaking. rubber considered impracticable. As mentioned in the section tralfic cones are used to guide traffic at the two ends of this report dealing with passenger services on free- of the reversible lanes section, but over the greater part ways, the recently prepared transportation plan for

Los Angeles. Plan of four-level interchange motorists using the breakdown strip only for its proper traffic engineering function.

In much of the early freeway construction in United States breakdown strips or shoulders were either narrow or omitted, but the standards for the Interstate System now provide for a usable width of not less than 10 feel other than on long structures and this is closely observed. On enlbankments the width to break of batter usually is 13 feet. On some of the older con- struction, as at New York, where breakdown strips or even narrow shoulders were not provided some break- down bays were later added; it has been found that \(.U York. Cross Bronx Expressway. Kock has not hcen although these have a certain amount of use, there often hidden or dressed are disabled vehicles standing on the roadway only a very short distance from them. In general drivers do Washington National Capital Region provides for a not attempt, nor are they cncouraged, to push disabled particularly wide median in most of the freeways so vehicles to the breakdown bays because of the great that there could be established. as required, reversible danger to which they would be exposed. Except when lanes, lanes exclusively for buses, trains, or all three traffic is very light it is dangerous for a vehicle to leave thinss exclusively and successively. This provision is in a breakdown bay because speed appropriate for enter- the nature of a reserve against needs that may arise ing the through roadway cannot be achieved. The from population growth beyond the 3 millions the standards for the Interstate System provide that full firmly recommended transportation plan is designed to width breakdown strips extend across all bridges not serve. less than 150 fcct in length, but breakdown strips are now to he provided on much greater length of viaduct. At both Seattle and Washington the land use at one because in their absence there inevitably is from time end of the freeway is predominantly residential and the to time a disabled vehicle completely blocking a lane, other predominantly an employment area. and it is reducing the capacity of the other lanes and likely to pl:+nned that it remain so. It is only in such cases that cause accidents. Californian standards now provide for conip!ctely reversible roadways are appropriate. That breakdown strips on both sidcs each roadway on a conipletely revcrsible roadway can cease to be appro- of all viaducts irrespective of length. The Alaskan Way priate is illustrated by the Lincoln Tunnel in New Viaduct at Seattle has no breakdown strips but on the York. When the centre tube was first opened its two planncd Seattle Freeway passing along the eastern side lanes carried inbound traffic during the morning peak of the city provision is made for breakdown strips on and outbound traffic at afternoon peak, but it has since both sides of each roadway on very long viaducts. The been found necessary to use one lane in each direction because flaws are falrly evenly balanced. alternative to breakdown strips on viaducts is a highly dcveloped system for prompt removal of disabled vehicles but this can only partly offset the absence of Climbing Lanes breakdown strips. There is increasing support for the Even a very small percentaee of trucks can reduce view that, other than in very special cases, it is uneco- the speed of traffic on up grades to such an extent as nomic to omit breakdown strips from any viaducts the to cause congestion and result in the section being a full traffic capacity of which will be required. Although bottleneck. reducing the overall efficiency of a long section of freeway. Accordinglv, the need for climbine New York. Ti. D. Roosevelt Drive. No breakdown strips lanes should be considered in all freeway designs exceot provided. Note disabled vehicle in the lane adjoining median where the full capacity of the freeway will not be required. This applies not onlv to 4-lane hut to 6 and %lane freeways. because omission of climbing lanes reduces the caoacity not only of the outside lanes hut of all lanes and the total reduction in capacity is greater with 6 and %lane freeways.

BREAKDOWN STRIPS OR SHOULDERS (OUTSIDE) The term “breakdown strio” is not in general use overseas and it is used in this report because it gives a clear indication of the traffic enaineerinq function of this part of the freeway. It is considered that adoption and use of the term “breakdown strio” or simply “breakdown” instead of the term “shoulder” in educa- tion, signposting and enforcement will contribute to New Jersey Turnpike Authority to adopt a design pro- viding for the stcel rail being offset 6 inches by inser- tion of a timber block between the post and rail. The California Division of Highways is now giving con- sideration to general adoption of the design which provides for 8 inch offset mounting of steel and pro- vision of a second, lower, rail to prevent vehicles being trapped against posts in collisions from sharp angles. but as far as i5 known no other State is con- sidering a second rail. Fairly generally barrier fencing is provided where the depth of fill from shoulder to toe is more than 10 feet or the batter is steeper than 4 to 1, although the latter is less fully observed than the former. Where the 10 feet height limit without fence is observed there generally is followcd the practice of using 4 to I Los Angeles. A recentl~-coiistruclrde\prersrray with hrcilkdorrn embankment batters for depths up to 6 feet and some- strips alongside median as well as along oulrr edges of roadways. times to 10 feet depending upon availability and cost Rarrier fence is being added on some lengths but is slill regarded of filling. There is further reference to batter slopes as experimental. The harrier fences seen in photographs fl: pages 102 and I03 of the June, 1960 number nf ‘* Main Roads under the heading “Roadside”. are typical of those in USE there has been no formal statement, senior officers of SIGNPOSTING, DELINEATORS AND the Bureau of Public Roads have expressed the view PAVEMENT MARKING that breakdown strips at least 8 feet wide should be provided on all viaducts having four lanes for one In Europe the signposting of motorways generally direction traffic, should be provided on all having three conforms to the International Standard. In United lanes that will be heavily loaded by one direction traflic. States there arc marked variations in the features and and viaducts with two lanes in one direction need extent of application of signposting but taken on thc individual analysis. whole the signposting of freeways there is very striking and much more effective than in Europe, and on thc There is a tendency. much greater in some areas than lnterskte System of roads considerable progress is in others. for trafic to encroach on and use breakdown being niadc towards uniforniity in accordance with the strips as through traffic lanes, mostly but not only when A.A.S.H.O. Manual on Signing and Pavement Marking tramc is heavy and particularly where there is little as issued in 1958. but in respect of urban expressways visible difference between the through lanes and break- some states are pressing for some modifications. There down strip. The design of breakdown strips needs is strong criticism, in relation to both urban and rural close study and experiment. What is required is a expressways. to the sign “Yield Kight of Way” required breakdown strip that will be clearly distinguished from to be erected facing traffic on ramps entering the free- the through roadway, will be readily used in time of way : its observance tends to “stop and go” operation emergency and not at other times. will not hold water on ramps and acceleration lanes whereas traffic on and on the roadway, will resist scour, and can be con- from the ramps should be encouraged to keep in structed and maintained at reasonable cost. motion and merse smoothly in accordance with the principles of dcsign of the ramps and acceleration- merging lanes. GUARD, OR PROTECTION, FENCE ON OUT- Reflective delineators mounted on metal posts SIDE OF BREAKDOWN STRIP mounted at the outside edee of breakdown strips and on ramps are a great contribution to safety at night. Both steel rail and steel cable protection fence are These are in accordance with the provisions of the in wide use. Some States leave the selection of type A.A.S.H.O. Manual for Siening and Pavement Mark- and of timber or steel posts at the option of the con- ing. Paint strivine of traffic lane5 is eeneral but not tractor. Where steel cable is specified it usually is auite universal in United Ttates. In Europe it is rather on one or more of the grounds that it is more limited in application. There can be no doubt that it effective, is cheaper to maintain, or causes less diffi- is a great contribution to slfety and should be adopted culty in snow removal. Most states specify steel rail as an essential feature. On some freeways and turn- type and consider it the niore effective. particularly pikes the approach to the gore at each outlet ramp is when timber posts are used. GeneralIy this type is diagonal strined and on some others it is provided only painted. but in Detroit galvanised rail has been used where there has been a traffic accident record. It does for a few years and is considered very satisfactory and not appear to be necessary where there is ample visi- an overall economy. It has been found that to an bility of the outlet ramp and the gore is made con- important extent the hub caps of vehicles have caught spicuous by concrete kerbs contrasting with bituminous against posts supporting the steel rails and this led the shoulders and ramps. MAIN ROADS 97 -

ROADSIDE general slopes of 1 to 1 and If to 1 were used but so L.andscape and nearby development are major factors far as is known standards for general slopes now are in the overall appearance and harmony of freeways. not steeper than 2 to 1 except at Pittsburgh where When construction is through rock. by general accept- ground is very steep. Detroit with fully depressed free- ance no attempt is made to mask the rock face but in ways used 2 to 1 but has changed to 2+ to 1 because some cases where rainfall is suitable and the rock has of difficulty in mowing and slipping of batters. Los pockets or crevices, growth of creepers and small Angeles used a general slope of 1 t to 1 but has changed patches of vegetation is sometimes achieved by spraying to a maximum of 2 in 1 with flatter slopes for shallow from road level, up to about 30 feet height, with a depths. The States do not have any uniform scale of mixture of water, fertiliser and seed. But other than variation of slope and many do not vary slopes other in rock areas the appearance of the roadside and free- than to obtain borrow or to dispose of spoil. way as a whole can be much improved by eliminating In Western Germany some very good cover of hard lines and corners of batters and thus merging the batters is obtained in some cases with mixture of grass, freeway construction with the roadside. shrubs and small trees. In United States the improved roadsides generally are mowed at considerable cost and In its simplest form this merging is the rounding of sometimes the roadside has a torn and tortured look tops and bottoms of batters. but in its hest form which from gouging during mowing. The most effective car- might be called moulding of batters. is a combination pets seen on cut batters were on the depressed Holly- of rounding the tops and bottoms of batters and chang- wood Freeway at Los Angeles where “Ice Plant” and ing the angle of their slope in accordance with depth “Algerian Ivy” are used. They have attention, includ- so that, except in deep cuts and fills, the contours and ing watering from fixed sprinklers but not mowing, and overall appearance of batters when clothed with grass the “Algerian Ivy” is particularly good. or other vegetation blend with the natural surface. In United States rounding of tops and generally bottoms With few exceptions batters under bridges over of batters is applied to recently constructed freeways in freeways are paved or treated with bitumen because it urban areas and to some in rural areas. Variation of is found impracticable to retain grass cover on them. slopes, where it is applied, differs considerably from PUBLIC UTILITIES state to state and city to city. but wherever seen it improved the roadside. lnformation of this matter was not obtained in Europe, but in United States Public Utilities such as Other than in areas of very favourable soil and sewers. water and gas mains, telephone and power climate, the steeper angles of slope do of course affect lines, both overhead and underground, are excluded the probability and cost of establishing and maintaining from freeways except that normal crossing, with such good ground cover. and in all areas the steeper slopes safeguards and special construction as neeessary, are atfect suitability for mowing. In some early freeways permitted.

Main Roads Funds Receipts and Payments for the period from 1st July, 1960 to 31st December, 1960 General Purposes

~ ~~~ ~ ~~ ~- - County of Cumberland Country Main Roads Heading Main Roads Fund Fund

‘ ~~ - __ f f

Other...... 153,137 Total Receipts...... f ~~~~~~~~~_~______2,806,032 R.463.817

PAYMFNTS- Maintenance and minor improvement of roads and bridges ...... I 746,858 3,083.637 Construction and reconstruction of roads and bridges...... 1,277,230 4,524,710 Land acquisition ...... 446,583 51.586 Administrative exuenses ...... 1 15,245 328.443 Loan charges- Payment of interest. exchange, management and flotation expenses 4,370 65,505 *Miscellaneous ...... 501,450 440,476 Total Payments .. .. f 3,091,736 8,494,357

~ ~~~ ~ ~ - -~ 1 - Includes transfers to Speclal Purposes Accounts in respect of finance for Operatlng Accounts, Suspense Accounts and Reserve Accounts. 98 - MAIN ROADS Vol 26, No 7 ~- ~ ~____ ~ _-~ ~~ Tenders Accepted. by the Department of Maiii koads The following tenders (in excess of $3,000) for road and bridge works were accepted by the Department during the three months ended 31st December, 1960. ~ -~ - __~~ , Work or Service 1 Name of Accepted Tenderer Amount

~ ~ .~ ~~ ~ I I f s. d State Highway No. I-Prince’s Highway. Shires of Imlay and, M. Southwcll . . ,. .. .. 4,281 n 0 Eurobodalla. Haulage of up to 2.000 tons of aggregate from Bombo to stockpiles between Burrill Lake and Merimbula. State Highway Nu. 2-Hume Highway. City of Albury. Con- Monier Pipe Co. Pty. Ltd. ._ .. 4,764 n n struction of bridge over flood channel 0.1 m. north of Murray River. State Highway No. 8-. Broken Hill district.^ Messrs. De Trancheschi Bros. .. 1032 5 n Construction of four R.C. box culverts between 25.0 m. and1 32.0 m. east of Broken Hill. State Highway No. 9-. Shire of Patrick Monier Prestressed Concrete Pty. Ltd. 8,855 in x Plains. Manufacture. supply and delivery of precast, prestressed1 concrete bridge units for bridges over Mudies Creek, Doughboy Hollow and Little Doughboy Hollow. State Highways Nos. Y and IO-New England and Pacific Highways.’ B.H.P. By-products Pty. Ltd. .. 3.673 6 x City of Newcastle. Supply of up to 5.000 tons of aggregate for bitumen surfacing work. I Slatc Highway No. IO-Pacific Highway. Shire of Hastings. J F & H. McArthur .. .. 19.079 9 n Construction of earthworks for northern approach to bridge1 ’ . I over Hastings River. Y State Highway No. IO-Pacific Highway. Shirc of Hastings. S Bailey Pty. Ltd. , , .. .. 46,2411 x Construction of southern approach to bridge over Hastings1 ‘ River. State Highway No. IO -Pacific Highway. Shire of Manning. Grittin Engineering Pty. Ltd. .. 5,960 in n Supply and erection of guard rails on bridge over Manning River at Taree. I State Highway No. IO-Pacific Highway. ShircofStroud. Supply1 Frost Developments Pty. Ltd. . . 3.312 I 3 and delivery of 1.835 cu. yds. of aggregate to stockpile 3.5 m. north of Karuah Bridge.

State Highway No. IO ~ Pacitic Highway. Shires of Stroud and Taree Gravels (Holdings) Pty. l~d.. . 3,526 h 3 Manning. Supply and delivery of 441 cu. yds. of +-in. and 1.200 cu. yds. of t in. aggregate to stockpiles between 12.5 m. and 22.5 m. north of Bulahdelah. i State Highway No. IO-Pacific Highway. ShireofTweed. Supply Moy Bros. Pty. Ltd. , , .. .. X.648 15 2 and erection of footway 1117 bridge over Terranora Creek at/ Boyd’s Ray. State Highway Nu. IO-Pacific Highway. Shires of Tweed and’ B H P By-products Pty. Ltd. .. 7,150 0 n Byron. Bitumen surfacing. I ‘ ” State Highway No. IO-Pacific Highway and State Highway B.H.P. By-Products Pty. Ltd. 37,649 2 7 No. 12-Gwydir Highway. Bitumen surfacing and resurfacing’ ~ at various locations. State Highway No. 17-Newell Highway. Shire of Nanioi.1 L. 0. Rixon . . ,. .. 31,502 14 3 Construction of bridge over Ten Mile Creek. State Highway No. 22- and Trunk Road Andy‘s Engineering Pty. Ltd. 14.393 Y n No. 66 broken Hill District. Fabrication of Steelwork for steel bridges over Pine Creek on State Highway No. 22 and1 Stephen‘s Creek on Trunk Road 66. Trunk Road No. 68-Central Darling. Construction of earth J. H. Furney & Co. ,. .. .. 29.333 R 7 formation and pipe culverts on deviation betwccn 25.0 m. and 41.1 ni. north of Menindee. Trunk Road No. 68-Shire of Wentworth. Manufacture. supply, Forwood .lohns & Waygood Ltd. , , in.019 17 n and delivery of steelwork for bridge over the Darling River at Pooncarie. Main Road No. IOB-City of Newcastle. Manutacture. supply, Transfield Pty. Ltd. ,. .. .. 61.43X IY 0 and delivery of steelwork for bridge over the south channel of; the Hunter River. I Main Road No. 172-City of Sydney. Reconstruction of Oxford Golding Constructions Pty. Ltd. , . 25.~5~n n Street between Paddington Town Hall and Centennial Park. Main Road No. 336-Shire of Gosford. Construction of steel and Beattie and Frost Pty. Ltd. , , .. 26,191 14 6 concrete bridge over Erina Creek near Gosford. City of Greater H’ollongong. Construction of bridge at Reserve Hornibrook McKenzie Clark Pty. Ltd. I~,~RR2 in Street on alternative route to Prince’s Highway. Sydney Harbour Bridge-Cleaning of granite mayonry of pylons1 A. Donald (Steam Clcancrs) Pty. I.td.. . 19,172 n n and piers. March, 1961 MAIN ROADS 99 _. -- __

Tenders Accepted hvJ Councils The following tenders (in excess of E3,OOO) were accepted by the respective Councils for road and bridge works during the three months ended 30th September, 1960.

~~ ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ Road Council Work 1 Name of Accepted Tenderer 1 Amount 1 No. I -~ -. ~~ ~ .~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ I ' f s. d. Ashford S. . . 63 1 Bitumen surfacing from 29.7 m. to 32.0 m. from Emolcum (Aust.) Ltd. . . 4.817 7 0 18711 on Main Road 187 and 6.5 m. to 9.0 m. south of, Yetman on Trunk Road 63. I Bibbenluke S. . . 19 Construction of box culvcrts and approaches at Shoe- J. W. Bailey Constructions' 9,899 6 3 maker's Creek. Pty. Ltd. Bibbenluke S. . . 394 Construction of timber bridge 30 ft. long, 9.4 m. from1 J. W. Bailey Constructions 5,10811 3 . Pty. Ltd. Bland S. . . . . 6 Bitumen surfacing course 28.0 ni. to 35.0 m. wesl of B.H.P. By-Products Pty. Ltd. 5,490 12 0 West Wyalong. Bland S. . . . . 57 Supply, delivery and spreading of 8,160 cu. yds. of' J. N. & J. Miller .. 3,196 0 0 gravel between 18.4 m. and 28.6 m. north of West, Wyalong. Bogan S. . . ..I 8 Bitumen surfacing from 8.85 m. to 17.87 m. west of1 Shorncliffe Pty. Ltd. . . 5,393 19 3 Nyngan. Rogan S. .. . . 204 Construction of concrete box culverts at 8.64 m. and W. E. Troth .. 3,972 15 0 30.78 m. from Nyngan. .'i

~ Canobolas S. . .I 2;i\ Bitumen surfacing and resurfacing of various lengths . . ' B.H.P. By-Products Pty. Ltd.1 5,299 3 6 245 I Canobolas S. .. 61 Supply and delivery of 751 cu. yds. of +-in, and 701 cu., Orange Blue Metal Pty. Ltd. 3,366 I1 11 245 J yds. of 2-in. aggregate. Carrathool S. .. 6 Construction of R.C. box culverts at 6.0 m. and 10.7 m. A. G. & L. Wicks . .I 7,765 west of Rankin Springs. Carrathool S. . . 80 Supply and delivery of 740 cu. yds. of $-in. aggregate Griffith Metal Sand & 10,027 18 0 and 2,260 cu. yds. of +-in. aggregate to stockpiles1 Gravel Pty. Ltd. between 1.00 m. and 5.75 m. north of Tabitta. l Carrathool S. . . 80 Bitumcn surfacing between 1.00 m. and 5.75 m. north' Allan Bros. Asphalting Ltd. of Tabitta. Coolah S. .. 55 Construction of concrete bridge over Coolah Creek, Central Construction Co. . . and construction of two R.C. box culverts in approach. Crookwell S. Bitumen surfacing between 8.0 m. and 11.0 m. from Allen Bros. Pty. Ltd. . . 1 6,505 0 0 ..I 376 Crookwell. Cudgegong S. .. 55 Construction of four-cell IO ft. x 9 ft. R.C. box culvert J. Miller ...... 4,542 0 0 14.6 m. north of . Cudgegong S. ,.I 214 Construction of two-cell 9 ft. x 5 ft. R.C. box culvert J. Miller ...... , 3,065 0 0 7.5 m. from Mudgee. Culcairn S. .. 12s Supply and dclivcry of 285 cu. yds. of $-in. aggregatc Murray Vallcy Sand and, 3.157 5 0 and 853 cu. yds. of +-in. aggregate 0 ni. to 6.15 m., Gravel Co. from Urana Shire Boundary. Culcairn S. . . 125 Bitumen surfacing 0 rn. to 6.15 ni. from Urana Shire1 B.H.P. By-products Pty. Ltd. 6.179 12 I I Boundary. I Goobang S. __I 233 Construction of three-span timber beam bridge over J. W. Bailey Constructions' 8,835 3 0 Goobang Creek at Banks' Crossing 5.5 m. from Pty. Ltd. Parkes. Goobang S. .. 233 Construction of approaches to bridge over Goobang' E. Short ._ .. ..I 3,61 I 5 2 Creek at Banks' Crossinq 5.5 m. from Parkes. Hume S. .. 125 Supply and delivery of 13.867 cu. yds. of aggregate H. J. Reid . . . . _. 3,109 I2 0 between 20.29 m. and 24.84 m. from Albury. Jemalong S. ..I 17 Supply, dclivery and spreading of 10.637 cu. yds. of E. Burton ...... 5,517 18 10 gravel between 8.0 m. and 12.0 m. south of Forbes. 1 236 237 Jemalong S. __ 238 Supply and delivery of 12.256 cu. yds. of aggregate to E. Burton 3.679 3 7 56 various locations. 350 377 78 Jindalee S. . . 87 Bitumen surfacing of various lengths ...... B.H.P. By-products Pty. Ltd. 6,068 14 5 235 Lyndhurst S. . 6 Construction of four-cell 9 ft. x 5 ft. R.C. box culvert and A. C. Stephen & Son . 7.265 1 0 approaches at King's Plains. Manly M. . . 2.025 Reconstruction of intersection of Rosedile and Lander- Roadworks & Buildings Pty. 8,292 7 0 dale Avenues, Fairlight. Ltd. 7 Molong S. . , 233 Bitumen surfacing of various lengths . . . . , , B.H.P. By-Products Pty. Ltd.' 5.518 18 6 234 j - ~~ . ~~~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~~~~ - ~ MAIN KOADS - .~ Tenders Accepted by Councils-con tin,uecc!

Work Name cif Accepted Tenderer Amount

, f s. d. Murrumbidgee S. 321 Reconstruction and bitumen surfacing 5.0 m. to 7.6 m. B.H.P. By-Products Pty. Ltd. 3.088 17 4 south of Darlington Point.

, ~ , , Mannine- S. . 90 Reconstruction and bitumen surfacinp.I of 3.9 m. betwcen' Shorncliffe Ptv. Ltd. 3.034 5 I I 1 Burrell Creek and Kundebakh. , North Sydney M. 2,053 1 Pavement widening in Walker Street near Berry Street,l Tonkin & Hagan Pty. Ltd., , 7,034 I I 0 ' North Sydney.

Oberon S. . . 253 Construction of thrcc-cell 12 ft. x 12 ft. R.C. box culvert, J. Millcr ...... ~ 6,636 o n over Swaniu Creek. Peel S. .. .., Bitumen surfacing and resurlacing of various lengthsi B.H.P. By-Products Pty. Ltd. 7,689 3 7 102

Scone S. .... I05 ~ Reconstruction between 4.50 m. and 7.37 m. east of F. H. & H. McArthur . 1 20,964 I6 9 Scone.

Trunk Road 62. Strathfield M. ..i 315 Reconstruction of The Boulevarde between Nicholson1 R. J. Hand Constructing' 53,401 I 6 Street and Redmyre Road. I Pty. Ltd. Talbragar S. . .'3.105 Construction of new bridge- over Talbraear- River at J. M. Oriel & Sons , ,I 3.325 I2 0 ' Ballimore. Tallaganda S. "1 ' :A)] Bitumen surfacing and resurfacing of various lengths ..~ Allen Bros. Pty. Ltd. ..~ 11,597 I I R "J Tamarang S. 129 ! Reconstruction from 0.19 ni. to 2.45 ni. west of Trunk' J. F. & H. McArthur . 5,65Y 4 9 ' Road 72. Tamworth C. 11 I I Construction of one 30-cell 6 ft. x 3 ft. R.C. box culvert Australian Concrete Pro-~ 14.X17 6 0 I and two 8-cell 6 ft. x 2 ft. 6 in. R.C. box culverts on ducts. ! ! western approach to Timbumburi Creek 3.5 m. west1 i of Tamworth. Tamworth C. .. II 1 Construction of western approaches to Timbumburi Dayal Singh Constructions 5.134 13 0

Creek 3.5 m. west of Tamworth. ~ Pty. Ltd. Timbrebongie S.. . 572 Strengthening and bitumen surfacing 36 m. to 3.70 m. Shorncliffe Ply. Ltd. . , 3.848 0 4 north of Narromine. ' Tumbarumba S. , 85 Bitumen surfacing from 1.53 m. to 14.57 m. north of C. R. & J. W. Westman 3.932 IO 0 Tumbarumba. Tumbarumba S. 1 1,265 Construction of three-cell 9 ft. x 6 ft. R.C. box culvert1 J. A. Parkins 3,19517 Y at Sparkes' Creek. Tumbarumba S. 11,265 Construction of formation from 3.84 m. to 8.47 m. S. L. Taylor . , 1 8.404 0 0 east of M.R. 282. I Walcha S. .., 111 Bitumen surfacing of various lengths .. . .; Shorncliffe Pty. Ltd. ..1 5.134 II !) Waugoola S. .. Bitumen surfacing 10.9 m. to 14.9 m. from Cowra ' 3.349 II 3

Waugoola 310 ~ S. ..1 Ritumcn surfacingI between 11.75 m. and 15.75 m. Pt;:' 3.0Y5.~ 2 1 I Cowra. I itd. 1 Bitumen surfacing of S.H. 21 from 28.25 m. to 33.85 m. Fowler's Road Construc- 6.526 6 3 Windouran S. ..I 2:i{ north of Deniliquin and M.R. 296 from 17.25 m. 101 lions Pty. Ltd. 1 22.55 m. west at Deniliquin. i Yarrowlumla S. .. 51 . Construction of R.C. bridge over Turallo Creek ..I Central Constructions Pty. 14.R15 0 0 Ltd.

Yarrowlumla S. . .I Bitumen surfacing of various lengths ...... Allen Bros. Pty. Ltd. .. 19,064 9 IO Yarrowlumla S. . .' ::' Construction to base coursf stage of deviation 10.5R m.1 Jedco Construction Co. . 10.408 8 0 to 11.41 m. from Queanbeyan. Sydney Harbour Bridge Account Receipts and Payments for the period from 1st July, 1960 to 31st December, 1960

Receipts PoyI>IPIIIs f f Road tolls ...... 733,497 Cost of collecting road tollr ...... 71.R26 Contributions- Maintenance and minor improvement , , .. lll.Y73 Railway passengers ...... 77.552 Interest. exchange and management expenses on Omnibus passengers . , ...... 8.329 loans ,...... 19 1,790 Rents from properties ...... 12.054 Provision of traffic facilities ...... X.697 Other ...... ,. 3.153 Alteralions to archwayr for occupation hy tenants 6.899 Administrative expenses and iiiiscellaneoiis charges 11,96.5 Conversion of tramway area to roadway .... 3.739 Transfers lo Expressways Fund ...... 320,000 f 83a,S85 f 726.889 MAIN ROADS STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS DRAWINGS AND INSTRUCTIONS NOTE: Drawings are prefixed by letter "A ", instructions are so described; all other items are specifications or forms. Year of revision, if within last 10 years, is shown in brackets. Form No. Form No. ROAD SURVEY AND DESIGN A I101 Cross-section one-way feeder road. A I102 Cross-section two-way feeder road. 2 $:A)Specimen drawings, country road design. A 114 Rubble retaining wall. A 478c Specimen drawing, flat country road design. A 478e Specimen drawings, urban road design. PAVEMENTS A 1645 Stadia reduction diagram. 71 Gravel pavement. (1949.) 355 Design of two-lane rural highways. (Instruction.) 228 Reconstruction with gravel of existing pavement. 369 Design of urban roads. (Instruction.) 254~Supply and delivery of gravel. 288 Design of intersections. (Instruction.) (1952.) 72 Broken stone base course. (1956.) 402 Design of acceleration and deceleration lanes. (Instruction.) 216 Telford base course. 499 Design of kerb-lines and s~pysat corners. (tnstruction.) (1952.) 68 Reconstruction with broken stone of existing pavement to form a A 1614 Widening at points of " A sight distance. base course. A 83 Earthwork quantity diagram. 257 Haulage of materials A 1640 Mould for permanent mark block. 65 Waterbound macadam surface course. Manual No. 2-Survey and design for main road works*. 230 Tar or bitumen penetration macadam surface course, 2 in. thick. Pclicy for geometric design of rural roads-State Road Authorities' 66 Tar or bitumen penetration macadam surface course, 3 in. thick. 125 Cement concrete pavement, and plan and cross-section. (A 1147.) STREET DRAINAGE A 380 Galvanised iron strip for deformed joint. A 381 Bituminous filler strip for transverse expansion joint. 243 Integral concrete kerb and gutter and vehicle and dish crossina._, and 493 Supply of ready mixed concrete. drawing. (A 134~.) 266 Asphaltic concrete pavement. 245 Gully pit and drawings: with grating (A 1042); kerb inlet only (A 1043): with grating and extended kerb inlet (A 1352) extended kerb inlet (A 1353), (1956). SURFACE TREATMENT A 190 Gully grating. 93 Surfacing and resurfacing with bitumen, tar-bitumen mixture, or tar. A 1418 Concrete converter. (1957.) A 3491 Perambulator ramp. 466 Fluxing of binders for bituminous flush seals and reseals. (Instruc- A 3536 Mountable type kerb with reflectors tion.) 351 Supply and delivery of cover aggregate for bituminous surfacing work CULVERTS (1957.) 167 Resheeting with plant-mixed bituminous macadam by drag spreader. 138 Pre-cast concrete box culvert (1957) and drawing: 12 in., I8 in., 24 in., and 30 in. high (A 3847). (1951 .) 206 Re-inforced concrete culvert (1948) and instruction sheets. (A 304, A 305, A 306! A 359.) FENCING AND GRIDS A 1012-20 Single cell reinforced concrete box culyert: 6 in. to 1 ft. 3 in. 141 Post and wire fencing (1947) and drawings: pliin (A 494); rabbit- (A 1012): 1 ft. 4 in. to 3 ft. (A 1013); 4 ft. (A 1014): 5 ft. proof (A 498): flood gale (A 316). (A 1015): 6 ft. (A 1016): 7 ft. (A 1017) 143 Ordnance fencing and drawing. (A 7.) 144 Chain wire protection fencing and drawing. (A 149.) 246 Location of protection fencing. (Instruction.) 224 Removal and re-erection of fencing. A 1705 Plain wire fence for use in cattle country. A 3598 Wire cable guard fence. A 1031-36 Three cell, reinforced concrete box culvert: 6 in. to I ft. 3 in. A 1038 (A 1031); 1 ft. 4 in. to 3 ft. (A 1032); 4 ft. (A 1033); 5 ft. (A 1034): A 1040 6 ft. (A 1035); 7 ft. (A 1036); 8 ft. (A 1038); 9 ft. (A 1040). ROADSIDE 25 Pipe culverts and beadwalls, and drawings: single rows of pipes: A 1337 Concrete mile post, Type A. 15 in. to 21 in. dia. (A 143); 2 ft. to 3 ft. dia. (A 139); 3 ft. 6 in. A 1338 Concrete mile post, Type D. dia. (A 172); 4 ft. dia. (A 173); 4 ft. 6 in. dia. (A 174); 5 ft. dia. A 1366 Standard lettering for mile posts. (A 175): 6 ft. dia. (A 177); Double rows of pipes: 15 in. to 21 in. A 1367 Timber mile post, Type BI. dia. (A 21 I): 2 ft. to 3 ft. dia. (A 203): 3 ft. 6 in. dia. (A 215); A 1368 Timber mile post, Type B2. 4 ft. dia. (A 208); 4 ft. 6 in. dia. (A 207); 5 ft. dia. (A 206); A 3497 Timber mile post, Type B3. 6 ft. dia. (A 213). Treble rows of pipes: 15 in. to 21 in. dia. A 2815 Concrete kerb mile block. (A 210); 2 ft. to 3 ft. dia. (A 216). Straight headwalls for pipe A 1420 Steel mould for concrete mile posts culverts: 15 in. to 24 in. dia. (A 1153) (1957). A 1381-3 A 1 Joint for concrete pipes. A 1452-5:}Tree guards, Types A, B, C, D, F. and G. A 142 Inlet sump for pipe culvert 3 ft. dia. or less. (1947.) Manual No. 4-Roadside Trees. 139 Timber culvert (1950) and drawings, 1 ft. 6 in. high (A 427): 2 ft. (A 428): 3 ft. (A 429); 4 ft. (A 430); 5 ft. to 8 ft. high (A 431). A 1223 Timber culvert 20 ft. roadway. (1949.) MATERIALS A 3472 Timber culvert 22 ft. roadway. (1949.) 303 Supply and delivery of Pre-cast reinforced concrete pipes. 296 Tar. (1949.) 337 Residual bitumen and Ruxed native asphalt. 305 Bitumen emulsion. (1953.) BRIDGES AND FERRIES 349 Light and medium oils for fluxing bitumen. (1948.) 18 Data for bridge design. (1948.) A 27 Slump cone for concrete. 37I Waterway calculations. (Instruction.) A I78 Mould for concrete test cylinder. 300 Pile driving frame, specification for 25 ft. and drawings for 5C ft. 76 Design of non-rigid pavements. (Instruction.) (A 209): 40 ft. (A 253); and 25 ft. portable (A 1148). Manual No. 3-Materials.* A 3693 Pontoon and pile driving equipment. 164 Timber beam bridge (1947) and instruction sheets, 12 ft. (A 3469); 20 ft,. (A.70)(1949):. and 22 ft. (A 1761) (1949). rRAFFIC PROVISION AND PROTECTION 326 Extermination of termites in timber bridges. (Instruction.) 121 Provision for traffic (1954) with general arraneementarrangement (A 1323). and 350 Reinforced concrete bridge. (1949.) details (A 1325) of iemporarytemporary skns.signs. (1947.)(1947.)- 495 Design of forms and falsework for concrete bridge construction. 252 Supply and delivery of guide posts. (Instruction.) 253 Erection of guide posts. (Instruction.) 314 Regulations for running of ferries. (1955.) A 1342 Temporary warning sign, details of construction. A 4 Standard bridge loading. (Instruction.) (1957.) A 1346 Iron trestle for road barrier. A 26 Waterway diagram. (1943.) A 1341 Timber trestle and barrier. A 1886 Arrangement of bolting planks. (1948.) A 45 Timber bridge, standard details. (1949.) A 1791 Timber beam skew bridge details. (1949.) PLANT A 3470 Low level timber bridge, for 12 ft. and 20 ft. between kerb. (Instruc- A 1414 Gate attachment for lorries with fantail spreader. A 3471) tion.) (1949.) A 1450 Half-ton roller with pneumatic tyres for transport. A 1216 Running planks. A 2814 Two-berth pneumatic tyred caravan. A 1207 Reinforced concrete pile25 tons. (1945.) A 2828 Multi-wheeled pneumatic tyred roller. A 1208 Reinforced concrete pile-35 tons. (1957.) A 2976 Fantail aggregate spreader. A 1621 Reflector strip for bridges. A 3530 Benders for steel reinforcement. Highway Bridge Design Specification of State Road Authorities.* A 3547 Steel bar cutter. FORMATI(3N CONTRACTS 70 Formation. (1955.) 24e General conditions of contract, Council contract. (1956.) 520 Sub-soil drains. (1957.) 342 Cover sheet for specifications, Council contract. (1950.) A 1532 Standard typical cross-section. 64 Schedule of quantities form. A 4618 Flat country cross-section, Type A. (1955.) 39 Bulk sum tender form, Council contract. (1946.) A 4619 Flat country cross-section, Type B. (1955.) 38 Bulk sum contract form, Council contract. A 4620 Flat country cross-section, Type C. (1955.) 193 Duties of superintending officer. (Instruction.) A 4621 Flat country cross-section, Type D. (1955.) 498 Caretaking and operating ferry. All Standards may be purchased from the Head O5ce of the Department of Main Roads. 309 Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Single copies are free to Council evcept those marked *.

Sydney: V. C. N. Blight, Government Printer-I961 c

Stat ighway System of the State of New South Wales

Trunk Roads ...... 4,181 Main Roads ...... 11,727 Secondary Roads (County of Cumberland only) ...... 67 Developmental Roads ...... 2,864 25,362 UNCLASSIFIED ROADS, in Western part of State, coming within the provisions of the Main Roads Act ... 926 TOTAL ...... - 26,288