Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-11-02
AN EXPERIMENT IN WOOD PAVING,
Investigations Aeing Made TO Determine
Best Materials and Methods.

Wood has long been used for street pave
monts. Only within the past few years,
however has II been satisfactorily adopted
In the cities Of the United States. Previous
failures can be traced almost entirely TO I'M
proper construction or methods Of prepare
lion. In most cases round blocks OF cedar
or other woods were used. without preoau,
lions against decay and without adequate
foundation for the pavement, The conse,
qucnce was that. as a paving material, wood
fell into disfayor
Recent use Of rectangular wooden blocks
for street payements has given excellent re-
suits Many engineers believe that these
blocks, when properly erosoted and laid on
concrete foundation, make pavement
which possesses high excellence In greater
number Of essential qualities than any 9th
or now In use. Among these qualities are
great smoothness. low traction resistance,
minimum noise. and, considering its smooth
ness comparatively little slipperness. Slip
periness has sometimes proved Objectionable,
but is not greater for wood than for sheet
asphalt all temperature conditions consid-
cred. and wood Is much less variable in this
particular than Is the asphalt II Is prob
able that no other pavement with equally
slight traction resistance will be found less
slippery. Wood pavement is also easy 70
clean and TO maintain. and when wen laid
gives promise Of proving more durable than
any other except one constructed OF the
hardest granite.
The cost OF creosoted wood pavement Is
AZ present comparatively high, averaging
about ss per square yard, including concrete
foundation. In several cities however. the
cost Of the pavement has been reduced MA
terially below this figure, and good results
have been secured. In Minneapolis, Mimi,
where the city itself lays the pavement the
total cost per yard Is approximately $500
To attempt 10 cheaper the price. however at
the expense OF thoroughness Of treatment or
careful construction is. with creosoted wood
pavement. particularly dangerous economy.
Even at the prevailing price, the excellence
n this pavement causes many engineers to
regard II as the best general'purpose one
now In use.
The Eve cities In which the largest
amounts Of wood pavement are found are,
in order Indianapolis, New York, Minneap'
oils, Toledo and Boston. Together, these
cities have more creosOted wood pavement
than all other cities in the United states
combined The total amount Of this pave.
ment in use in this country at the end OF
the year 1905 was about 100000 square
wards equivalent to nearly so miles Of
pavement on a street 30 feet wide.
Two main causes have initiated against
4 wider adoption OF the creosoted block pave
ment One has been the prejudice which
was enrendered bv the former experience
with wood. the other is the rise in price Of
longleaf or Georgia pine, which is the wood
now principally used The Forest Service
is making investigations to find out what
woods are most suitable for use in paving,
and whether less expensive woods could not
be used TO supplement the Georgia pine.
The investigations have been upon three
lines: TO learn the present situation, 10 make
tests Of the suitability Of various woods,
and TO lay experimental pavements and note
their wear under actual traffic conditions.
An experimental pavement has now been
laid in the city Of Minneapolis, as a coop
erative undertaking between the city gov
eminent and the Forest Service, Different
woods we're donated. in lots OF $4,000 board
feet. by a number OF lumber companies or
lumber associations interested in extending
the market for their respective woods Creo-
sote and treatment we're contributed by two
manufacturers Of wood pavement.
The woods used were longleaf pine, Nor
way pine, tamarack, white birch western
lsrch, and Washington FIR. All blocks were
laid with the grain vertical, and were four
inches in depth, four inches wide, and from
four to 10 inches long. These blocks were
impregnated with creosote and laid upon
foundation Of Portland cement concrete.
Successive sections Of the pavement were laid
in different woods. Also the angles Of the
courses were varied, one being at right angles
to the traffic, another at As degrees and q
third between the two. or 0Th degrees.
This experimental pavement was laid on a
street which carries the heaviest traffic of
the city, so that comparative results can be
obtained in as short a time rs possible. |
Traffic records will he made twice month, |
on different days Of the week and from
these records an accurate knowledge OF traf
fc conditions may be obtained.
This investigation should furnish definite
on the following points: The
Of the various woods the relative
value Of heartwood and sspwood, the best
dimensions for the blocks. and the most ser
yiceable angle for the courses.