Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-09-27

The Location Of Country Roads

The Location Of Country Roads
The engineer retained by Morris comfy
New Jersey, to advise in the formation OF
a plan to improve the county roads has
come to the conclusion, after q prelimin-
airy survey, that half Of the money to be
spent. s525 900, viii have to be used in re-
locating the roads and in reducing grades
where relocations are not practicable. Had
this not been the case the amount Of mon
ey appropriated would have cen sufficient
to macadsmize one hundred and fifty miles
of roadway. At present the roads in the
county are located in nearly every in
stance precisely where they should not
be.
There are high hills in Morris county
hills that makes that section of New Jer-
sey the most picturesque portion of the
state, and one Of the loyeliest in the coun-
try. But in the whole county there are few
/ instances where there is any necessityto take
main road over any of these hills, as there
are valleys in almost every direction which
q 10 Llt AOG0uA4AAG- SNN1A ~ A4sA 'N~--
created for his assistance and convenience.
/ Notwithstanding this, the most important
roads at present frequently go directly over
/ the SUBMITS Of the hills, and in many in
stances the unfortunate horses that draw
the loads the farmers send to market are
Obliged to drag wogors up a twelve and
sixteen per cent. gr4de-lhat Is. % uphill
twelve or sixteen feet in hundred feet Of
distance. Had these roads been located
| with intelligence in the first place, the
grade need not in any instance have ex-
ceeded five per cent, and even then the
first ost would not Of been greater than il
was. In roadbuilding the law should Ger
tanly require that only engineers Of learn
ing and skill be employed, Tor the errors Of
ignorance are nowhere more disagreea bly
and expeusively perpetuated than in an
improper location of a common country
highway. A road once dedicated to pub
lie use is fixture for all time
When a railroad is to be located tht
best engineering talent is obtained, but
with country road any two or three FIR
mers are generally thought to have skill
enough to determine where it should 90
As matter Of fact, it is more difficult and
requires more skill 10 properly locate q
country road than to fix the line for q
railway. The roadbuilder has many more
things to consider than the railway engi.
neer. The later makes his road as nearly
an air line as he can with the means at hi.
command. He can establish his grades
with deep cuttings and high embankments
he can have long trestles, and can tunnel
under the hills, reaching the natural sur
face only at places for stations. But the
roadway engineer has much more Diff
cult problem. Buttings and embank-
ments, except for very short distances, are
olt Of the question, and tunnels and tres
ties entirely inadmissible, for his road
must be accessible through pretty nearly
its entire length from both sides. for other.
wise it could not be approached by those
who wish to use it. He must therefore
always keep very near the natural surface
Of the ground. And yet he should not
have much greater latitude in his align
ment than the railway-builder, and in
grades he is also restricted, for the maxi
mnm should meyer be greater than five
and preferably only four per cent. Heavier
grades are an impediment to traffic which
sm Doth stone payements cannot over.
come, for only half loads can be hauled
over them.
An engineer ZOO will advise the spend
ing Of large sums of money in macadamiz-
ing a badly located road, with ten and
twelve per cent. grades, will at the same
time take the responsibility for wasting
the money that is spent on these improve
ments, and will further assist in perman-
entity fixing these errors of ignorance made
by the roadbuilders Of former generations.
The people in the United States are be-
coming more and more alive to the IN
p0rtance OF better roads, and here and
there they are taking action in the m at
ter. It is a good time for them and for all
interested in the subject to consider very
carefully the Importance Of properly locat-
|
stone. Country people are conservative,
and are generally opposed to any radical
changes A man who has driven over a
certain road for thirty years is very apt to
be disinclined to see that road changed to
| the other side Of hill half mile away.
Upon the first presentation he is sure to
object, but such changes will surely have
to be made in the billy parts Of the older
sections Of the country. To reduce the
grades on the old roads would cost more
than any save rich community could az
fore to spend: simply to pave the Old
roads would be t, throw away half The
money spent on tho work. In roadmak-
ing, as in other things, what is worth do
ing at all is worth beng well Jone.-Har
pers Weekly