The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-18
RoADWAYS IN SWITZERLAND
NOW THEY ARE MADE Nv zURICU,
GENET4, AND LUCERNE

Tho Romans Were Great Road Engineers
The Foundation IL Everythins-Tbe Cost
mud Wear of Asphalt Footwnys and OF
stone and Other Drivewa,s Contrn-ted.
Tho great interest taken OF late years in the
subject Of good roads caused our Department
OF state to obtain from United States Consuls
in various parts OF the world reports on tho
condition and construction OF streets and
highways in their respective districts.
Among the most instructive and interesting
of these reports are those that come from
Switzerland. Nowhere is roadway construc-
ton carried out more sklfuly and thoroughly
than there Tho mountainous character of tho
country imposes difficulties which can only he
overcome with much effort and care. and roads
are subjected TO severe tests from the violence
OF storms and the sudden swelling OF water
courses.
Consul G. l. Catlin OF Zurich and Consul 7.
T. Adams Of Horgen 10th point out that the
Romans OF the last century before Christ
really founded the Swiss roadway system OF
to-day They rarely or never, EXCEPT In
case OF need. built road far down noun
tain side: they followed the sunny side OF
mountains, and avoided great valley cross
ings. 80 lcsscnirg tho cost both Of original
construction and maintenance. They built
the ST. bernard, Simrlon. Luckmanier. Ber-
nGrdino, Spllgcn, Septimer. and Juier roads.
all we'll known to-day. Their valley roads
were also those OF leading railway or post
routes OF to-day. including those from Nevey
to Basic. from NevGy to Geneva. from GeX to
Avenches. from Basic to Bregenz, from Win
disch to Zurzach. from Windischt to Solothurn.
from Chur to Drcgenz. from Eogaz to st. Mar
grethen. from Zurich to Reichenau.
For nearly 1000 years these roads served
for communication between Italy and France
and Germany. and up to the eighteenth cen
tury no great changes had been made in them.
Built FIRST for tho march of armies and the i'm
Eeria postal service. they then became routes
OF commerce. Before tho end Of the third cen
tury there were two great systems OF elaborate
highways from Italy through Switzerland to
Gaul and GERMANY with local branches. Nat
urally. with tho fall of the loman empire the
Anime roads were neglected: but about the
middle OF the eighteenth century a systematic
effort was made to put them in repair. Tho
Mont Gents roadway was developed. and
BerCc began II series of seven good roads:
Zurich. by the end Of the century. had four
leading in various directions: st. Gall built
two, Thurgau one. and Basic four. This was
only the beginning OF modern Swiss road
building, but 1t made tho last half Of the
eighteenth century noticeable.
1t is tho nineteenth century. however. that
has really given t" switzerland her famous
NttWhIh VI HIGHWAYS, tAtcEulnE 10 NOR TB-
hottest valleys. and constituting, in the words
Of Bavicr. u leading swiss authority on the
subject. the pride and glory of the land"
Years ago these roads had reached an agGre-
gate OF Ectwren 5000 and 1000 miles OF care
fully constructed highways. .,
EYn by Nar0!eon IN 800 and finished in 1904.
This Wa followed SnseesTs1yeiy by the Bs1nar-
Furka. oheraip. h!bnla. tiueia. Bernina OF
ienrerg. LucA manier. and BtuniS, the last be-
ing finished in 1876. about which time the
vs. -
development.
1t is curious fact that tho Swiss roadwnys
cheering. both in method o! construction and
in selection Of routes n return being made to
tai Adams declares that the most important
lesson tor us from European experience is.
affords a better, roaI than the costliest surface
without n foundation. No matter how much
money is laid out on the surface. the result
will 10 swift ruin unless it is properly sup
ported from beneath. But with n good foun-
dntlon tho surface may be OF gravel or even Of
common soil, If nothing better is available.
carefully !ald foundation OF nnaresSed stones which
dina borders Of square stones. The wheis forming a
sea ]
ntto te mater sl availahl, In the srea! IoaiwAy Of
s,.la q iuea and ranndsG sionss. aSeras"s
OF t1e se?,tncr IN the hugh APP. tho fomnd.,i3n
metres IN long'tu!na! diameter carefully lifted
boeGs on he sione ioundaion Was spread a aver OF
sn U .ape i ia as n onr
macaiamzet roads lhis inrn!snei a firm and smoota
Structure dry in gGtrr rosSs tie rravSi sometlmes
lay neims.n Two layer 81 common earth In ths
from 70 10 80 mrir,s: lie surface width from to
shel and along Dntaln slopes tile road
te let into the Sn ana "ny
trou"a fGe route Kept, wne" p:.sb to The :" sunny
raj Of Inc surface. and avoided all avoniab.e
these rrlnrpies Int routes Do'h OF roads and rail
he modern railway Is less solIdly built has greater
lreadtn yaFyns from 30 metres or more In roads Of
class and pays more attention to the lateral aces
sor'"s for dating the adjacent soil AID carrying
of water lGt The internal system or construction is
The characteristic feature both in the ancient
turc furnishes it. . OaRe "nterhan EeHe ShnSse"
is the rule. l;ut of course on the West srn prai;
generally in regions destitute of stones and
gravel there is u drnrth Of material. which pre-.
vents much use oI the European method OF
road building.
As to tho city and suburban streets of Swift.
2erahd their systems are local ADAPTATIONS OF
the ordinary roadway. as already described.
provision bcina; made beneath the roadbed for
water, gas. ana DRAINAGE pipes, while the sur
sired way. Consul aIlm says that in no city Of
the world are the streets better constructed or
l;ahnhDfst,assc is The finest in any Swiss city.
or the paving SUI stance used. concrete costs
in first construction 3.}4 francs rcr square
yard for the driveway and 2.UI francs for tho
sidcwak stone. 70! francs for driveway or
sidewalk: pressed asphalt l2.S7 francs for
AMI ..3b for sidewalk; wooden
blocks l2,..J for driveway; melted asphalt.
for sidewalk, ".2O francs, The annual cost
Of maintenance is A. follows: Concrete,
~ to ~ francs: stone pavement, which
must be renewed every seventeen years on
drivcways, 80 to II francs: melted asphalt re-
ncwcd every ten years on sidewalks. ~ francs.
In laying down II raised sidewalk half tho en-
pcnse and half tho cost Of repairs is paid by tho
owners Of the property fronting thereon. The
newly constructed streets of the last thirty
years or So, especially III quarters Of the city
not closely built UP, have concrete drivewayS,
with paved crossings for pedestrians at tho
most ircpnentcd points. Pressed ,asphalt, and
wood blocks are put down in streets in which it
II important. 70 prevent noise ana dust; All
paved or laid with melted asphalt: in the outer
quarters they arc mostly Of concrete i'ressed
asphalt is only used on the sidewalks OF the two
principal streets of tho inner city. namely. the
BahnhOistraesc and the I.lmlnat luay.
Consul licmmick of Geneva reports That tho
paved streets recently put down there were