Aerial image of Wainuiomata Road in 1964, showing Wainuiomata Road over the summit and into the valley. This section had been widened and deepened by Downer, whose machinery was brought in to reshape the valley side. Their contract, covering the stretch from the summit down to the gully, had been completed. From there, contractors such as Earthmovers & Contractors Ltd from Upper Hutt continued the upgrade. At the same time, Fletcher Construction had completed the new Gracefield Reservoir. However, the lower half of the road remained untouched at this stage and still followed its original 1860 alignment across the hillside.
Credits
Special thanks to Carl Smith for the image and information in this article.
