Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-09-28
VIEW OF IMPROVED AMERICAN ROAD.
lFrom Good Roads.l

tFrom Good Roads.l
Consul Roosevelt gives these details of
the character, duration and cost Of the
pavements; Porphyry. from quarries at
/ Quenast and Lessines, estimated Gura-
ton rs years sandstone, from quarries
at Ecoussines, estimated duration 60
years: No. 4. from the vicinity of the
rivers Ourthe and Meuse, estimated du-
ration 40 years; limestone, no longer ac-
cepted by the city government, estimat-
ed duration ears.
Porphy square yard, $50 francs
($1.s3);s per square yard, $50
to $50 .1.64 to $l.S3); asphalt.
from Val ravers, per square yard,
II francs CS3. ~; wood on concrete foun-
dalton, per square yard. II francs (S2. 12).
The two last named pavements are high
" esteemed and much employed on the
boulevards.
There are three sorts of roads in Bel
GUM. the dimensions of which are fixed
as follows:
Government Roads-width OF roadway, 8
yards % inches; width OF sidewalk. yards s
inches; width OF ditch. three-fourths yard.
Provincial Roads-width OF roadway, 5
Yards % inches; width Of sidewalks, . yards o.
inches: width of ditch, three-fourths yard.
Communal Roads-Width Of roadway, 4
yards 10 inches: width OF sidewalk and ditch,
yard "a inches.
These roads are paved with native porphyry
and sandstone OF following dimensions: Seven
by 81 inches, - by 50 inches. 5Is by ~ inches,
"a by 81 by by : inches, ~ by 81 by ! by
81 inches Curbstone, 30 by Is inches each side
OF road.
The cost of constructing road for fire.
quent and heavy traffic is SLAB per
square yard. This allows cents for
preparing bed 10 inches deep, cents
for the ashes, which cost 30 to 40 cents
per cubic yard. cents for labor and
$l.31 for the paving stones. which are ct
by 81 inches. If rough stone and layer
of broken stone or pebbles are substitute
ed. the two cost only % cents, and the to-
tai per square yard becomes 37i cents.
For maintenance the cost per yard of
country roads is cents, which becomes
cents near industrial districts and from
to 10 near sugar factories. Mr.. Roose-
welt gives this account of the annual liz
spection and repair:
FROM % 10 ~ CONSECUTIVE ydrus OUT OF every
4.00O or 5000 yards OF pavement are taken up
and replaced by new material. On roads de-
voted to heavy traffic paving stones by 6ls
inches are employed. also on inclines aver
aging less than three-fourths Of an inch per
yard. On inclines averaging more than three
fourths OF an inch per yard stone Ga by 5ta or
heavy oblong stones ~ by 50 by So by are
employed. Where the soil Is very firm sand
stone blocks : by ga inches are preferred,
which. with heavy oblong stones, are also used
on inclines according to declivity. Satisfactory
drainage is produced by depositing deep bed
Of ashes prior to placing pavement. On roads |
Of light traffic blocks al by "a inches are used
on the level. while ~ by 80 and 6Is by inches
are employed on inclines.
Contract for keeping roads in repair is by |
public bid and Is awarded TO lowest bidder for |
a term Of three years, the average cost Of re-
pairs to roadways yards 20 inches wide as /
follows: Porphyry blocks, per square yard, Q |
cents: sandstone. per square yard, cents.
New York Sun.