The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1906-07-06
MEADOW ROAD WORK
DETAILS OF A SUCCESSFUL EXPERT
MENT IN NEW JERSEY.


aolders Of Cape May county, \. j., TO
prepare plans for the building Of d
state aid road across the meadow from
Rio Grande to Holly Beach, thus tells
i'll the Good Roads Magazine how the
new road was constructed:
! AS we had no thought Of elevating
above storm tides, the prominent idea
to be kept in view was the use of ma
terials that would stand the wash. The
route to be followed had been aban-
doned about fifteen years. Previous to
that time it had been used for few
years as q means of travel to and from
the Five Mile beach When this was
built about one half Of the distance
was laid crOSSwi&e with cedar slabs,
the other half with small poles and
then very light coat OF upland soil.
AS means OF securing a foundation
large gum trees. with two opposite
sides fi0ttGned. We're laid lengthwise.
One was placed in the center, the other
two about under the wheel ruts. Across
these were laid poles about three inches
in diameter at the small end. the space
between the stringers having first been
filled with mud. Over the ends Of the
poles at each side were placed curb
planks by inches. These planks
We're securely fastened. edge up, to
cedar piles driven six feet into the
meadow and projecting four feet above
| the planks. Theas same plapks were
placed eight feet from the center line,
/ thus giving us Il sixteen foot driveway.
| A mud bank was carefully thrown up
on each side against the outside of the
| planl1s and thoroughly compacted The
meadow grass grows through this.
! making it more secure. y line of mud
about two feet wide was placed on the
| inside OF the planks and cOmpacted,
| thus making an almost water tight
| trough. The remaining space between
| the curb planks was filled with upland
| soil to level with the outside planks.
| Over this soil we used oyster shells,
| three bushels to the square yard, 81,
600 bushels in all. Over the shells be-
fore they were ground up was spread
a coat Of good gravel This gave us
ttl ciCh dllOl VI dDOuL lOtI iCtii ilLIIcS
above the highest meadow passed over
and above tides except very severe
| northeast storms. It has been topped
several times since it was completed
by storm tides, but it has withstood
them beyond all expectations.
One mistake was made in not giving
| The road more crown before the shells
were spread. l consider shells one of
| the best materials that can be used on
! meadow roads, with just enough gravel
| to bind them together. They will thus
withstand any amount of wash.
| \ year ago last October we began
! the rebuilding of the Beesley's Point
and Ocean City turnpike, 1.7J miles
across salt meadow There had been
q road on this same route for about
| twenty years. During that time all but
1900 feet Of it had been poled three
| times. Large trees had been cut and
laid lengthwise and poles nine feet
| long laid across them. butting in the
middle. In some places this construc-
ton had settled four feet.
In constructing this road only 1875
feet were repoled. This was done by
| placing six pine tree StringerS length
wise and poles nine feet long cross
wise over them, butting in the middle.
We placed double curb plank on each
side the entire length of the meadow
road in the following manner: Curb
pianks 2 by 6 inches We're placed eight
feet each side of the center line, Sc
ctrely fastened to cedar posts driven
four feet into the old roadbed. -Four
| feet beyond this curb loutside the old
rOadbed were placed by Is inch curb
! planks, securely fastened to cedar
| piles, driven eight feet into the mead
ow and projecting four feet above the
! top Of the planks. The inner posts and
outer piles We're securely tied together;
| the four foot space between the euro
| plank was filed with mud and thor
| oughly compacted by ramming and aft
| er settling again filled and rammed.
! Before the road was finished these mud
! banks were covered with gravel, thus
| making a splendid bicycle path on each
| side The space between the inner
| curb was filled with upland soil and
after being thoroughly compacted stood
| four inches in the center above the top
/ Of the inner curb planks. These We're
| set to grade. The road was then, COW
| cred with 10000 bushels of oyster
! shells, spread when the bed was not
/ too soft from rain or any other cause.
! AS soon as the shells were spread &
| thin coat of Buck Hill gravel was
| spread over them. This was followed
| by 1,5O0 pound roller. making the
! shells and gravel into one compacted
! mass After the entire length had
been covered in this manner it was
again gone over with i second coat,
making in all about five inches of loose
! gravel used on the shells
One inch above the top of the inner
curb plank was placed cedar plank
2 by inches and fastened to the top
Of the posts holding the lower curb.
/ When the heavy storm tides sweep
over the road some of the crown is in
danger of being carried off These
planks We're placed there as 4 protec-
ton to the exposed side and to catch
what might otherwise go entirely off
far