Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-01
BUCKLEY & GOODRICH.
ROAD BUILDING.
The Macadam Road Is Growing in
Public Opinion.
Willow Street to be the Scene Of Near Future
Operations.

In addition to the work that is to be
entered upon on Arsenal street, this
week, in the way of widening the
street, establishing better grades and
fixing the cutters. together with giving
it a coat of crushed rock. the work on
Willow street will be entered upon
very soon. The order has passed the
city government authorizing the con-
StructiOn of a sewer on Willow street
from Cony street to the Gannett Pub
fishing house. This sewer will be en-
tered upon at once so that the macad-
amizing authorized from Cony street
to point beyond the publishing house,
can be commenced.
Many people do not understand the
value of macadam for Streets" said
Alderman Carver. Monday forenoon.
but they are fast becoming educated
up to it. each year, in all parts of the
United States. The people of Augusta
know more of it since they have seen
it on State street. as well as on Ban
gor street, and | believe they agree
that it is a step in the right direction
to continue the work as fast as our
finances will allow"
Shall you macadamize Rines' hill,
this year," asked the Journal.
Il doubt if we can as we have not
the money this year. to do very ex-
tensive job in this line. l think we
shall pave the section in front of the
Purinton block to the railroad track,
and also that section of the foot of
Rines' hill where it is partially paved
at present. We may also improve the
gutter on the hill, this year. but
further than that l doubt if we can
do more.
Il was reading a little article, the
other day" said Mr.. Carver. ION the
relative values of thick and thin
macadam and telford pavements in a
volume on Road Building that has
been published by the American So
ciety of Civil Engineers. fair con-
clusion to be drawn from the discus
sion is that with heavy traffic the thick
pavement is demanded, for the wear
upon the surface is too rapid to allow
for delays in repair Of thin pavements
so that such pavements are liable 10
break through and be destroyed 50
that reconstruction is necessary.
With light traffic it is claimed that the
wear will be less rapid on a thin pave
ment, because the elastic subgrade
prevents the crushing of the stone in
the wearing surface. which may occur
if the foundation is hard and solid.
"A thin pavement must be thorough
" packed and made water tight so that
the suberade will not be softened by
rain. and the roadbed must be thor
oughlv drained. otherwise the subgrade
NAV give way under load sufficient
81, EinU ,,f tho m1r4da m
layer. an accident that usually de-
stroys the pavement at the point Where
it occurs and requires reconstruction.
No macadam pavement. however, IS
properly built in which thorough
dramas e is not the first consideration.
Every macadam street requires con-
slant attention for repairs. and IS most
economical when kept in uniformly
| good condition.
Many figures of cost are given by
| those participating in the discussion.
In Massachusetts the state highway
commission has constructed 223 miles
| Of road - feet wide, with gravel
shoulders three feet wide on each side.
| including draining. special foundation
when necessary, culvert, fenclng ana
all other expenses at an average cost
| of SO. 800 a mile. The thickness OF
gravel or telford or macadam or what
| ever combination is used, is about II
| inches Grading cost from zero to
81 900 a mile though it averaged $3.50.
| The sides of the roads were finished
out "a or 26 feet wide.
I'm New Jersey the cost has been
somewhat less. The average cost OF
road built in 1897 ranged from 80 to 81
cents a square yard. In the upper
portions of the State roads four and six
inches deep We're built for from ~ to
As cents a square yard.
still cheaper roads with only tvs
or three inches of gravel or fine
broken stone are described as being
constructed without grading. for $So'
to $500 a mile. These were for tenn
porary purposes where the present
traffic is light.
In all cases but the last. great
emphasis is laid on the value OF tho:'
ough rolling. the time spent in rolling
being about "a hours for each lo"'
square yards.
Much of the discussion can De ap
piled to the streets in villages an'
small cities like our own. except th'
business and main travelled streets
and to outlying districts in the large
= cities. The particular discussion is tn
width of the roadway. Many towns
throw the whole width allowed TO