XN000022-1972-07-03 — Page 16

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Monday, July 3, 1972

There were two major problems in connection with this route. The most

difficult of these was dealing with existing utility services since many of

these had to be raised, but at the same time could not be disconnected or buried

under deep embankment filling until the alternative high-level route on the

embankment was available.

Interim diversions had to be implemented by the Utility Companies,

and the co-ordination of this work required great care to ensure that each

Company did not unduly interfere with the other, whilst at the same time any

delay to road construction was kept to a minimum. Existing utilities also

obstructed a new pedestrian subway which had to be built prior to the high-level

route being completed, and in this case many of the utilities had to remain in

position whilst the subway was constructed around them.

Traffic Density

The second major problem was caused by the very high density of traffic

using the existing Chatham Road. To avoid any interruption of traffic flow the

movement of plant or materials from one side of the road to the other by means

of a straight forward road crossing was not allowed. This meant that all site

traffic had to enter the normal traffic stream and thereafter follow a very

lengthy off-site route before returning to join the opposite carriage-way,

diversion of traffic from existing road onto the new high-level road had to be

arranged in two stages, with the interval between each stage taken up by completion

of embankment filling and further road construction.

The

Throughout the contract particular measures were taken to stabilise

the very high embankment fills, and despite two typhoon seasons, including the

very severe typhoon Rose, inconvenience due to rain water run-off or silt on

adjacent public roads was minimal.

The main