Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-17
Bulletin on Improvement
Of Country Roads.
Slate Highway Dept. Offers
Some Valuable Suggestions.
sseejaI Orders Issued from Office
Of Adjutant General.
i
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR,
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council
81 Thursday, May ~, at 9. 80 A. NJ.

Among other material in the way of
printed matter which has been issued
from the State highway department
this spring is bulletin on the i'm
provcment of country roads, which is
timely as we'll as valuable. In it's in
PRODUCTION enumerates the ways in
which country roads in general may
be improved, and which are as follows:
BY cutting out the bushes and grub
p Ding out the roots; by Strengthening
the graded portions of the road and by
taking out the short, sharp and dan
gcrous corners and curves: by widening
the roads; by improving the drainage
and by cutting down the hills. On the
subject of cutting out the bushes the
bulletin says:
'Therc are miles of our country
roads upon which no marked improve
ment can be made until the bushes are
first removed. Indeed. the thorough re
moval of these bushes would be of
great value to the roads. in allowing
the sun and wind to dry the surface
early in the spring. When bushes are
removed. the roots should be grubbed
out and both bushes and roots piled
neatly and burned as soon as dry. I'm
der no circumstances should they be
thrown into the side bitches, back
against the fences of upon adjoining
land. Highway rights of way should
present as neat an appearance as do
the railroad rights of way and IL the
above suggestions are followed in per-
forming this work and little care
taken in cleaning up after the work is
completed our roadsides can gradually
he made permanently attractive
ON the subject of Strengthening the
roads the bulletin truthfully says that
many of the country roads present a
crooked appearance. (when in reality
the location is a straight lime. the
crooks having been made when the
road was graded to relieve the builders
from grubbing out stump or remov-
ing a boulder. AS Il remedy for this
trouble the bulletin says: IF improve
ment is contemplated on a road in this
condition, by all means let beginning
be made by Strengthening the grade sc
that the finished road will bear the
marks of good workmanship. Ry the
use of ~ few stakes for lining I'D new
work, road commissioners will, in wild
ening roads. be able to make use OF
Ill oi Tue ViG STuue anu nave IL Soou
straight road as Il result"
GOOd advice ! SalSO given on the
subject of maintaining the roads at
a proper width by Keeping the bushes
r0m4-encroachinE on the cutters. and
in X cpinE the roads We'll drained. The
width of road recommended is IL feet
at least. the width to be suited by the
alnOdnt Of traffic passing over the road.
and must be governed by local condi-
tons. Elimination OF steep grades by
cutting off the tops of bills and filling
in at the bottom steep grades by cut
ting off the tops of hills and filling in
at tho bottom is recommended ON this
subject the bulletin says:
The gain that can be made by the
reduction of grades is best shown by
actual experiments by which the fol-
lowing has been demonstrated. A pair
draw:
1890 pounds on a 5 per cent. grade.
or | foot rise in 20 feet.
2lt0 pounds ON Il per cent, grade.
or | foot rise in - feet.
2sS0 pounds on a ~ per cent. grade.
or foot rise in 40 feet.
$500 pounds on a per cent grade. or
foot rise in so feet
5000 pounds on a | per cent. grade. or
foot rise in 100 feet.
1000 pounds on a level road"
Tho following suggestions are made
for maintenance work:
In maintaining or repairing the
: surface of any road. filling depressions