New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-06
4 LESSON IN ROADMAKING.

The repaving of Bedford-ave., Brooklyn which
is now under way, should serve two purposes
1t will, of course. give grateful relief TO the
thousands who use that important thoroughfare
for driving or wheeling. or who have wanted to
dc so but have been deferred by the uncomfort-
able and indeed positively unsafe condition of
its pavement. For BedfOrd-ave. is one of the
chief thoroughfares of the central part of Brook
Ign. 1t is the great highway between the
eastern and western districts and the principal
route for the bulk OF the city to the Eastern and
Ocean parkways and Prospect Park There is
probably no street in the city which it is more
essential to keep in good order. and there are
not many streets of the better class that have
been of late in order. Upon the assur-
ance that it is be fully repaved in the
best possible manner all Brooklyn may well
rejoice.
The incident also serves to present most
impressive object lesson in roadmakng The
story Of Bedford-ave. has been story of how a
street should not be built and should not be
cared for. Originally of course, it was paved
with cobbleStones about badly as cobbe
paved streets usually are. Then scrimshaw
pavement was laid right upon the cobbestones
In some places of course the Scrmshaw was
only thin film on the top of the stones In
other places il was six inches deep or more
When it was finished it smooth and even as
"A floor. But before year had passed 1t was
about uneven the original cobbles Here
and there the stones stuck up through the
scrimshaw, and here and there huge assures
yawned between them. The pavement became
intolerable. and something had 10 be done That
something to lay a new pavement of
asphalt But, with the same mortar braycd
folly that had characterized the former Job, il
was laid right upon the remains of the scrim-
shaw-cobblestone combination.
The result has been an uneven often broken
pavement, over which one must pick his way
carefully to avoid having his horse stumble or
his wheel take n header. 1t might have been
kept in tolerably decent trim had proper atten-
tion been paid TO it. But the rule generally was
10 ignore holes in the asphalt until they became
big enough 10 entrap and wreck n brewery
wagon. Then they would be filled up and
smoothed over in some fashion The initial
error was. OF course. in laying the asphalt on
al unfit foundation: and II was followed nv the
error of neglecting faults until they became
serious. And those two errors to-day being
repeated in many places all over the countrv
Improved roads are being constructed osten
sibly on the plans of MacAdam or Telford but
without the foundation which alone can make
such roads permanently satisfactory When
finished they look well But they will not Ias,
Again, the mistake is being made on roads tbo,
We're properly built of negecting breaks and
holes until they reach serious proportions II 10
false economy and II is ruinous TO the rood The
true plan is 10 have the road constantly watched
and the moment even the least fault ia de,ected
correct IT, A right beginning is as essential IN
the road itself as to the traveller thereon. And