La Junta tribune., 1899-09-09
IN MASSACHUSETTS,.
STATE ROADS BUILT DURING THE
SEASON OF 1898. 6

Eject of the state system Has Been
to stimulate Ctties and Towns 70
Build Good Roads-Repair Of Htwh-
ways.
Work on the system Of state high
ways closed practically for the year be-
fore Dec. I. The great storm of Nov.
"a put an end to all outdoor operations
A review of the year shows that the
new length in 1898 has been 42.60
miles. making total Of aO8 thus far
finished in the state system. The total
number Of miles laid out and contract
ed for is cease The remaining 49, .66
miles are in process Of construction and
are mostly finished. The number Of
miles built in recent years is as follows:
In 1894 the number was 8. .SS; in 1895
II was so. 03 in 1906 it was 81. 03, and
in 1897 it was 1928. The amount
Of money available for construction
was 800. 600 less than in 1897. In
that year the appropriation was $500.
900. with the provision that only $600.
600 should be used in that season and
that 5000. 900 should pass over to 1893.
For 1893 the appropriation was e400.-
900. with the provision that 800. 600
Of it should not be available until 1899.
This makes this years available sum
$500. 600 against $500. 900 last year. It
il the desire Of the commission that
there be regular annual appropriation
In order that the work may be pushed
systematically. with assurance that at
least a certain amount will be con-
structed every season.
1t has been the policy OF the commis-
sion to add to the sections already built
rather than branch Off into the con-
struction Of new. short pieces. This has
resulted in the development Of some
pieces SO that the near future will see
long stretches Of road where the line Is
continuously Of the improved sort.
During the year the highway conn
mission has paid particular attention 70
the expediency Of building narrower
road than has been the practice hither-
to. Thus far the standard has been q
rcadbed 10 feet wide. with three test Of
gravel shoulder on each side. increas3ng
in width near centers Of population
where the volume of traffic was larger.
But the stpdies Of this year have con-
vinced every member of the commissif n
that it will serve the ordinary purpose
IL the road ed is only 10 feet wide, or
even ten in some instances. They have
built one Of ten feet in Truro and one
Of 10 in West Tisbury. Each Of these is
satisfactory to the people. They feel the
need in that sandy part Of the state of
more length Of hard road, and they are
willing to sacrifice width for length.
The narrower width is found to be suf-
6cient in country where there u httle
passing of loaded teams or where the
travel ia mostly in one direction ii the
morning ard in the other at night
When light vehicles turn out occasiCg1-
ally into the sand. Il does not hurt the
finished roadbed. In cases where there b
heavy teaming IL is proposed to make
occasional .urnouts, 80 that by brief
waiting there would be the benefit of
hard roads all the way and much moro
length than IL possible II the road y
built up to the first standard.
Study has been made for low cost
road for the Cape. where sand abounds4
and mixture Of clay, sand and broken
stone is found to answer well. The clay
and sand together make Q kind Of NOR
tar which prevents the surfacing Of
broken stone from sinking into the sand
beneath. A road OF this sort has been
built for f2. 800 per mile. while the av-
erage cost Of the macadam roads in thu
state system up to the end Of the season
Of 1897 was e5. TOO per mile. But so per
cent Of these roads had the telford
foundation of large broken stone placed
by hand as q basis for the macadam
surfacing.
It is said in behalf Of the commissiou
that all the road which has been built
under the state system is AZ good now
as when it was built. It 10 kept In con-8
slant repair. Some resident engineer or
other official goes over the state road
frequently, noting its condition, and thu
repairs are kept up 20 that the road y
always in first class shape. Careful rec
ords are kept Of the manner And ex-
pense Of repairs. In order that the stats
may know just what Is to be done, but
thus far no figures have been given ol
the regular annual cost per mile TO
maintain the state roads In France,
where the government roads are about
.one-tenth Of the total mileage, the an
nual cost Of maintenance 10 from $50 to
$3.50 per mile
The effect Of the state system has
been to stimulate cities and towns -
undertake similar work in their own
behalf. 20 that the roads Of the state ~
= whole arc much better in consequences
OF the introduction OF the state system.
No fewer than % towns were known toA
do this before 1893. and eight have been
added to the list this year. They have
appropriated from %. 900 to $40, 900
each for first class roadbeds and the inn
provement IN their vicinity has been
marked The demand for road building
y the state continues q strong as ever.