One for the Road

For the last four years it has been my good fortune to be linked to the commissioning and then construction of a new motorway extension just north of Auckland. Last week that road was opened to the public two months ahead of anticipated and a little under its forecast cost. The road opened to much acclaim for its beauty, engineering excellence and convenience. The criticism that surrounded the tolling mechanism and the long sight-seeing queues were not of the road itself nor, understandably, those who built it.There is to be satisfaction and relief about that. I was among the builders when the road was officially opened by the usual gaggle of dignitaries who will be forgotten long before the road is. But a nice touch was the surrender of the floor, or the pavement in this case, to one of the workers on the project, a digger driver. In halting voice and with some emotion he spoke simply of the pride he and his fellow workers had in being involved with the road and the special pride of ownership they now took at its opening. He spoke of bringing his young children to the road, to drive it, to point to the parts he produced. He spoke of new generations, his grandchildren, who would be informed proudly by his sons that "your grandfather build that." And whilst he didn't say as such we as such knew that man would live on in that road.
We all would.
Yes, it is essentially just an amalgam of bitumen, metal and steel. Yes, it is only 7.5 kilometres long and, yes, it costs $2.00 to drive along it. But in this world, with what is happening to and in it today, with the world the way it is and for some time will be, it's refreshing to reflect that this patch of bitumen metal and steel can be proudly proclaimed as having a life of its own and a meaning for so long for so many.

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