The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-11-30
NO MORE MA
CADAM ROADS
State Highway Commissioner
Claims Tests Show Bit
luminous Methods Best.
"A CAMPAIGN OF EDUCATION

Besides practically revolutionizing
good road construction methods in
New Jersey In way that has attract
ed the attention of nearly the whole
country, State Road Commissioners
Frederick Gilkyson has had expert
ments conducted and tests made in
road work which have demonstrated
that pavements superior to ordinary
asphalt can be laid in cities and sub
urban districts at from S1.l5 to S1.50 a
square yard, where they now pay from
Sl.90 to $3.50 square yard These re-
suits have been attained by Colonel
Gilkyson in his efforts to provide for
the state a road building method that
will meet all the requirements of au-
tomobile travel, which macadam will
not do, and thereby maintain New
Jersey at the head of all the common
wealths of the Union for improved
highway standard and mileage.
The tremendous wear of rapidly
driven automobiles upon macadam
roads brought home to the State
Road Department the great necessity
of providing a new road surface that
would be dustless and waterproof,
tough and hard enough to defy the
destructive effect of the auto wheels,
and yet resilient enough to insure COM
fort in riding. 1t was pretty big
problem, but undauntedly Colonel Gill
kyson tackled the proposition.
Filbertine is one OF the bituminous
materials that the Road Commits
sioner has tested. The resurfacing Of
Greenwood avenue, Trenton, with L.
bertine by the Filbertine Construction
company was the result OF an official
inspection made by Commissioner Gil
kyson and State Road Supervisor Rob
ert A. Meeker of a sample piece of this
pavement laid last fall in Belmont
Circle, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia,
where it was subjected to the hardest
kind OF automobile tratlic. Many cars
pass there at high speed, but the pave
ment has stood every test to which it
has been subjected without the least
show of having been affected by travel
or the elements.
These tests, with others. have been
so successful that Commissioner Gill
kyson declares that the state will
build no more macadam roads. Hav-
ing this decision in mind last fall, Mr..
Gilkyson had the standard state sneci-
fications for roads amended SO as to
permit of the construction of either
asphalt binder stone roads or amfesite
highways, when in the Judgment of
the board of freeholders In an any
county such construction was war;
ranted or desirable. At the same time
Mr.. Gilkyson issued an important let
ter to the director of the board of free
holders in each county in the state.
This communication called attention
to the new specifications and the fact
that they permitted the two new
methods, namely, asphalt binder or
amiesiUe. Colonel Gilkyson said that
both had been used successfully dur
ing the year and either would be ac-
ceptable to the state road department..
" If the board desires, the letter con-
tinued, :" to substitute some other
method not herein prescribed we would
be glad to have you submit specifica-
tions for our consideration The let
ter concluded: We are desirious of
securing the very best results attaina-
BILE and ask for the cooperation Of
your board"