Story: Streets and lighting

Laying bitumen

Laying bitumen

Men lay bitumen during the construction of a road in the 1920s. The work was labour-intensive, with some workers shovelling the hot bitumen onto the road and others hurriedly distributing it with rakes before it cooled. A steamroller would then smooth the surface.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Tyndall Collection
Reference: 1/2-104338; F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Adrian Humphris, 'Streets and lighting - Street construction and surfaces', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/24487/laying-bitumen (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Adrian Humphris, published 11 Mar 2010