Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-04-11
Good ROads-t1Ow to Make and
rIaintain Them.

Then I'd better 20, think.
Ahd &c working ont my taxes ON the road
The State of New Jersey was one of the
pioneers in the good road movement.
For this reason it may be well to Law be-
fore our readers some of the facts and
opirions we find in the fifth annual report
of Hon. Henry I. Budd. state road com
missioner.
The New Jersey law requires the state
to pay one-third OF the cost of all inn
proved roads that are constructed. on
the approval OF the commissioner. The
county pays the other two. thirds. When
two-thirtls of the property owners along
any highway petition to have it improved.
and agree to pay one-tenth of the cost,
the Improvement will be made, provided
the state appropriation for the purpose is
sufficient to meet all such demands. In
this case all property owners adjoining
the highway are assessed oue-tenth the
cost, and this is a lien against their prop
erty the same as an ordinary tax.
In SIX years under this law. s2s miles
of improved roads have been made. at an
expense to the state of Ss6s, 900. Last
year about eighty-five miles were i'm
proved by state aid.
Experience in the work is teaching inn
portant lessons in road construction. en-
abling the people to get more for their
money. Formerly the largest part of the
expense was in making the foundations.
1t has been learned that the earth prop
erly drained is as good a foundation as
can be made. There are soils that require
stone road to be eight inches deep,
some six inches and some but four inches,
and so construction varies. Where the
lesser depth is required stone roads are
but little more costly than gravel roads,
when the latter has to be carted long
distance. In order to preserve a proper
surface, after the first two ,r three inches
become worn, it is nee ssrg to- recoat it.
All the foundation that is quired. there
fore, is enough to sust 81 p. Sc two or
three inches
In maintaining the suriace to prevent
wearing and "raveling. it M, heretofore
been the custom n1 son, II he roads to
keep spriukling urt4 =, go. rltion con-
stantly in a dry time 1t has been dis
covered that an a plication of coarse
sand, or fine gravel and loan to the sur
face will maintain rs integrity This
material forms st5't cushion for the
horses feet ard keeps the wheel4 from
direct contact with :he suriacc 1t also
prevents the fine powder that binds the
stones from blowing away. and holds the
moisture so necessary to the binding
quality of the stone dust. This surface
coating need be only one-haIf to one inch
deep. By It's means utilizing the ma
terials that lie along or near the road
bed the road may be preserved from
excessive wear at small expense.
As to the width of roadbed. Mr.. Budd
says; Although the first cost of a road
is practically in direct proportion to it's
width the cost of maintenance and re-
pairs is governed largely by the amount
of traffic. If the traffic is at all severe,
it will be cheaper to maintain a moder-
ateiy-wide road than narrow one. on
which, being confined to one track, the
traffic will wear more severely than il
spread over wider surface.
. On many of the roads of this state
where the traffic is moving nainiyin one
direction at time, nacadamized or
graveled width of eight feet would be
amply sufficient. On roads of more inn
portance, where it is necessary to pro-
vide for the frequent passing of vehicles,
a stoned width of sixteen feet is neces-
sary. 1t is probable. however. that a
minimum width of ten or twelve feet
wought be better than eight feet, as the
traffic would not be so closely confined to
one track and the edges of the roadbed
would be less likely to be pushed out.
Drivers should be better informed as to
the Importance of not constantly follow
ing one line in using road, and should
be instructed to drive over all parts to
prevent the formation of ruts. which are
great destroyers of roads.
We have settled upon the widths of
ten, twelve and fourteen feet as ample
for the traffic in the country and sixteen
feet in the towns as the limit for state
aid. Then, if the municipalities through
which they pass. or the citizens thereof,
decide the whole street shall be covered,
they improve the remainder at their own
expense
The price of New Jersey stone roads
varies from three to FIVE thousand dollars
per mile. A gravel road thirty-four
miles long costs one thousand four hum
dred dollars per mile. In wet places
where telford is necessary the costTeacies
seventy-three cents a square yard. In the
lower part of the state the cost ranges
from fifty to sixty cents, and in the north
ern part where rock is obtained along the
line of road and the bed need be only
from four to six inches, the cost is from
20 to IS cents square yard.
The plan of Commissioner Budd is to
secure the construction in the first place
of continuous lines from important CEN
tiers. instead of detached sections. When
in any county numerous petitions are
filed with him, he has the power to say
which shall be first built. In most In.
stances he utilities his discretion to build
those lines that are a continuation of
those already made.
To Cure constIpalion Forever.