The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-22
R. |. HICHW AVS.
Maintenance of Roads and
Highways.
Cost Of Road Material and Keeping
In Repair.
Matters Considered In Highway Com
mittee's Report

proper ~ uOl ktntTdllg
derstood." To keep the cost of maintenance
as low as possible. every mile Of road must
receive constant attention. Ruts, or any
other depressions which will hold water. are
fatal to good roads and must be repaired a.
soon as made IL the road is TO be saved The
water which they collect softens the surface,
and aided by the grinding action Of the
wheels soon wears through the metal.
Consul Williams, in his report upon the
roads of France, says: "The American roads
are very much better constructed than are
those of France, all classes being considered.
They, however, become destroyed in short
time. while those of France increase in excel
lence with age. until the difference is very
marked. These differences arise from neglect
Of our authorities to promptly and properly
repair, and from the constant damages in
fiicted by the narrow tires Of freighting
vehicles. In France. all roads have perpetual
attention. II from weight Of load, from rain,
or other causes, hollow rut or sink, Is
formed,it at once receives attention, its sur
face usually roughened by picking. so that
new material will adhere and then the de-
preston filled slightly, rounding with broken
stone or stone chips. II the space repaired be
Of limited area, the rolling of the new coat
ing is left to the wide tires OF the heavy ears.
but. with extended areas, a steam roller is
brought for USE"
Mr.. Williams further on says: "Frosts in
France are trihing when contrasted with
those which heave and destroy our roads
every winter and spring; and the excellence
Of Europe's roads, as / learn, ranks in n
graded scale f<om the frost latitudes south
ward those of Britain, Sweden and Russia
bearing no favorable comparison with those
further south" These remarks emphasize
what has already been said about the import
ance of proper construction and maintenance,
and the necessity Of providing proper and
thorough drainage as means of avoiding
the destructive action of water and frost
y COST OF ROADS.
The cost of broken stone or gravel roads, OF
course, varies In different localities. depend
ing largely upon the opportunities offered for
getting good materials and upon the amount
of grading required. Several tons in the
State which had built broken stone gravel
roads, gave the cost Of them, in their replies 20
the circular which the committee sent out, as
follows:
East Providence-Macadam road eight
inches deep, estimated cost per square yard,
$780, or for good road. Is feet wide, sa3s7
per mile. Telford foundation, estimated cost
per square yard, sl.oo; eraveled road. four
inches deep, estimated cost per square yard.
20 cents.
Middletown-Bult regular Telford. Mac
adam road, at a cost of about 5000 per mile.
This road was 20 feet wide, and had a Tel
ford foundation eight inches deep, covered
with four or five inches of Macadam.
"a 1o
within IL miles Of crusher, six inches deep,
80 to rs cents per square yard, estimated; or
for road, 10 feet wide. S47OO to 5000 per mile.
Telford foundation about 10 cents per square
yard additional; gravel road. 80 to 40 cents
per square yard, or from $500 to $500 per
mile, 10 feet wide.
South Observation-Disclosures roads, eight
inches deep, ~, 356. 7s per mile (th!s road was
probably 10 feet wide).
Warren Built Macadamized road, nine
inches deep, for 65 cents per square yard, or
S6l0l per mile, 10 feet wide; gravel road, four
inches deep, 30 to S5 cents per square yard;
oyster shells, 10 inches deep, 80 cents per
square yard.
As an illustration Of what can be done many
times for little money, the following de-
scription of roads built at Bridgeport. Conn.,.
is quoted There We're about 40 miles OF
these roads. costing about $500 per mile, the
width being l8 to 20 feet.
"In building these roads the ground is
graded and regulated with gutter, each side
Is inches deep. The soil is then thoroughly
rolled with a l5-ton roller and the stone
spread on the surface So prepared. Under
has in no case been resorted to- the
ls-inch gutter being sufficient. After broken
trap rock is rolled to bearing, screenings
arc added as binder and the road metal Is
well and thoroughly filed with them, the
whole being rolled until the water flushes TO
the surface. A strong silicious sand is some
times used in place of these screenings. No
loan or clay is used as n a binder, or filler. in
or repair, unless small spot is
to be mended, too small TO bring out the
roller. then little is used on the top OF the
broken stone, while the traffic is consoldat-
ing IL. The points in the construction OF
these roads, which should be emphasized are:
First, thoroughly compacting the soil before
the broken stone is applied; second, clean
binding. which should offer as great, or
greater resistance to crushing ss the stone |
ITSELF third, use OF steam roller OF competent |
weight fourth. the combination of these 70 |
In connection with sufficient skill. resulting |
IN wheelway that is without spaces in its |
lower surface TO invite percolation OF mud |
from below; that Is sufficiently compact 10 |
shed rain and has some cohesive strength, |
while the clean binding, which is strenu. |
ously insited on prevents movements of the |
stones among themselves, and keeps their |
angles from wearing off,"
WIDTH OF TIRES.
The proper width Of tires for the wheels OF |
vehicles carrying heavy loads Is a subject 10 |
which sufficient attention has not been given |
m this State. It is Just as important TO have |
proper relation between the width Of tires |
md the weight Of load carried as between |
he areaso of foundation and weight of the |
building, or other superstructure. For. In /
he case Of vehicles carrying load the area
u tire in contract with the road, Is the area
~ the foundation which is supporting IL.
The width of surface covered by the narrow /
tres now generally IN use n not sufficient T
10 bear the heavy load imposed upon 10, and |
he knifelike tires cut into the road forming
md deepening ruts In almost all other
trfa NJ a. erfv 90 tko