The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-12-09
STATE ROADS COMMITS
SION and ITS WORK
Nearly a Hundred Miles Of New Public
Highways Being Built.

Chairman Tucker, of the State Roads
Commission, has prepared a summary
of the work done by the State Roads
Commission during the year, and shows
that contracts have been awarded for
81 30-l00 miles of highways, and in ad-
dition to this the Commission is directly
engaged in the construction of 20 45- 100
miles of road, the work being done by
county officials under the direct super
vision of the State without a contract.
In this mileage is embraced almost
every conceivable kind of road con-
struction, one of the objects being to
devise some means whereby the cost of
road building can be reduced.
Governor Crothers believes that ways
can be devised whereby the cost will be
greatly lessened, estimating the reduc-
ton, providing tie necessary legisla-
ton is secured, at POSSIBLY one-third
The total of the contracts awarded
by the Commission amounts to $685.
1856, and this, augmented by the
work being done directly by the State,
will bring the sum up to $1,000, 900.
In addition to the method of general
supervision the State Commission also
permitted the County Commissioners of
Wicomico to bid in their official capac-
lty for roads in that county, so the saw
lngs on the contract will be paid direct
ly into the county treasury to be used
in continuing road improvement I'm
der this plan the profits of the con-
tractor go directly to the county,
guaranteeing to that county the ex-
penditure of Wicomico's full allotment
on the Wicomico roads.
Macadam is the standard road build
ing material for the counties. De-
partures from this rule We're made in
Charles, where gravel was used, and
the contracts for Calvert and Anne
Arundel counties simply call for grad
ing, draining. bridging and widening
the roads. These thoroughfares were
little more than cattle paths, the width
of the road often beng no more than
eight feet. On such roads one vehicle
must draw up to the side while another
passes.
Special plans were deemed necessary
for the roads in the immediate vicinity
Of Baltimore city, because of the
volume of traffic that passes over them.
Pitch macadam was the material Sc
lected for the Philadelphia and Hart
ford roads and vitrifed brick for the
Falls road. Such improvements cost
heavily, as the contract price shows,
for the additional cost of the pitch
preparation was only part of the ex-
pense. The macadam had to be laid
deeper and the road bed made wider.
Under the law by which the State
Roads Commission is working $500, coo
was allowed for disbursement during
the first year and 81 600, 600 for every
subsequent year until the S., GOO, 600
loan was exhausted. During 1908 only
about 100000 was spent, so the Com
mission had practically 81, 400, OO0 at it's
disposal at the beginning of this wear.
Summing up of the work actually
done was completed by the Commission
on October Is. The percentage of
roadways completed varied greatly.
Since then there has been six weeks of
ideal weather for road building. 1t is
now estimated that 10 per centum OF
the contracts have been completed. If
the weather continues open the con-
tracts will be IN fair way to compile
ton by Christmas
Contracts have been awarded for
work by the contractors under The
supervision Of the State Roads Com
mission for 1909 as follows: