Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-02-28
Practical Engineer's Views OF
Road Making

Of laat Sunday, and was con-
tributed by practical civil en-
gineer. His suggestions as to the
needs of Augusta county are
equally applicable to Rockbridge,
and we hespeak a careful and
thoughtful reading Of the article.
The writer says:
We are frequently asked will it
nav Augusta county to issue bonds
for road improvement or buildlIgf
Our answer is that if the people Of
Augusta county want good rords,
and when we ssy good roads We
mean first class roads, it will pay
better than anything else that can
be done. But if they only wish TO
make bad roads wo Sc roads then
any money pat on the roads 10 a
waste. If they wish first class
roads, the first thing to do VIII be
to get a good road law, for all
moneys spent under the present
road law amount 30 nothing.
When they hive fully made up
their minds to have good roads, the
first step after che good law Is TO
have all the roads put in charge OF
a practical road builder. Who is
n practical road builder2 The
answer will bring en- increduIous
smile to the farmers and many of
our learned lawyers. There is ouS
one practical road builder, a civil
engineer. 1t will be useless to
discuss good roads till you have
made up your minds to take this
step. The directors OF the large
railroad corporations would as
soon throw away 80 much money
a. to undertake a new enterprise
in building till they have had the
reports of their civil engineers
Thousands of dollars are spent
each year to get the engineers
reports, and enterprises are fire.
quently abandoned because the en-
glneers' reports are unfavorable'
WHY should the county road com-
missloners be less careful with the
county's meney2
When new road is to be built
or an old road impro we'd the first
step to take Is to have an exhaustive
survey made. Thus you are enabled
to make the cheapest and best
location for the road, to ascertain
the best grades to be gotten and
what drainage will cost. These
facts place your road commits
sioners in a position TO act intelil'
gently.
The maximum grade should not
exceed 8 per cent, if possible, ana
it may be said here that there are
hut few cases when there is a
necessity for a grade of more than
3 per cent. But in no case snculd
grade of mere then 5 per cent be
allow ed.
A smooth even surface is Of IS
much Importance as grades. How
are we to get this smooth surface
and to keep the road firm and
smcoth2 Coed drainage not only
side bitches bu. also a thorough
system of under drains. You may
give your road a good crown and
keep it we'll rounded up, but if you
fail in drainage you will have a
bad road.
A good earth road we'll graded
and drained will be better than a
road with McAdam, but wiki heavy
grades and insufficient drainage II
| 10 much better to have too mucf
than not enc ugh drainage.
After establishing the grades
and putting IN all underdrains the
next thing to do is the sub-grad
ing or preparing the read bed It
receive the McAdam. The road DeI
should be made in the src OF
circle with rise, or crown o
from eight to fourteen inches IL
centre of road. The bottom VI SID
bitches should be from one foot Il
eighteen inches fellow the bottom
| or the McAcam. After the roaC
bed has been shaped up, 1t shoul'
be well packed by rolling Il Will
a steam read roller of not less thai
ten tons weight.
When tine road bed has beel
thoroughly prepared put IN abcu
sever inches OF crushed stone no
more than three inches the longes
way That is stone that go through
a ring three inches in diameter
When this course Of stone has bee
evenly spread over the road BED
roll the stone till the stone cease
tc creep before the roller. Thi
rolling will reduce this first coure
of stone to 81 or g inches thicF
ness. Then spread the dust froI
: the crusher over the stone and 70
, till the fine dust goes through
bottom Of stone and ills a
crevices between the stone. The
spread over ills At inches {
: crushed stone not more than
inches in size. Roll this secon
q course till stone cease to cree
= before roller, after which spread
course Of dust from crusher an
roll in till oil crevicCs are fillet
9 Then put on your top course
: stone crus he'd to size of from l
!. IL inches. Roll this course as tt
ID n