▁and ▁Gib son , ▁and ▁near ▁Es per ance ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁year . ▁The ▁Red ▁Lake ▁to ▁T res lo ve ▁portion ▁was ▁under ▁construction ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁with ▁further ▁work ▁near ▁Es per ance , ▁W id g lem ool tha , ▁and ▁T res lo ve ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁ ▁Se aling ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁attention ▁from ▁local ▁govern ments ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁focused ▁on ▁providing ▁a ▁se aled ▁road ▁along ▁the ▁highway . ▁The ▁matter ▁was ▁raised ▁at ▁the ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁conference ▁of ▁local ▁gover ning ▁bodies , ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁it ▁was ▁noted ▁by ▁the ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Main ▁Ro ads ▁that ▁it ▁could ▁be ▁years ▁before ▁C ool g ard ie – Es per ance ▁Highway ▁would ▁be ▁se aled . ▁Such ▁work ▁was ▁still ▁to ▁be ▁completed ▁on ▁the ▁Mer red in – S ou thern ▁Cross ▁road , ▁having ▁been ▁dis cont in ued ▁due ▁to ▁war ▁and ▁not ▁yet ▁restart ed ▁as ▁bit umen ▁was ▁in ▁short ▁supply . ▁ ▁Work ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁bit umen ▁surface ▁was ▁under ▁way ▁by ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁with ▁ ▁prepared ▁for ▁sur f acing ▁by ▁April ▁through ▁" re condition ing ▁and ▁tar ▁prim ing ". ▁In ▁July , ▁Minister ▁for ▁Works ▁D oney ▁stated ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁time ▁frame ▁for ▁works