Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-06-10
Dustless Roads.


practical journal Of street construction and
maintenance, there appears an interesting
and important account Of State road con-
struction as now done in New Jersey,
The methods differ materially from those
employed by the Maryland State Roads
Commission in that an asphaltic oil is used
during the original road construction as a
binder to hold the fine rock and top dress
ing together. whereas in Maryland the new
roads are built of the ordinary macadam.
which experience in Massachusetts, and
New Jersey has shown not to stand the
heavy wear and suction of automobile
traffic, 1t rapidly disintegrates and is
blown into neiehborine fields by fast-mov-
ing rubber-tired vehicles. The article dis
cusses principally the new Beattystown road
in Warren county, New Jersey. and it dis
cusses many problems which have occurred
during the construction of Maryland roads.
The writer says:
The road was originally billy country
road having steep grades. going over high
elevations and into deep hollows This was
especially the case on the westerly end,
where grades of IL to IS per cent were not
unusual. II is 8.58 miles in length. The
amounts Of filling and excavation were
about equal, amounting approximately to
$4,000 cubic yards each. There are four
stretches of road which have been relocated,
aeeregating about three miles in length.
The road is graded to width of 81 feet,
and macadamized portion is IA feet wide.
The maximum Grade is l-2 per cent.
Extremely hard fiinty limestone was used
generally. being almost dolomite in char
acter, which gives metallic ring under
horses hoofs and has high cementine
value.
The construction is according to the
1903 New Jersey specifications, The sub
grade is excavated to a depth of @ inches
to true oval Of near inch TO the foot.
On this is placed Q inches of 2 l-2-inch
| stone. which is compacted to about 4 inches
with lotion roller. On this is placed 8
inches Of 1-2-lnch stone. which Is rolled to
z inches, making the solid mass 6 inches
thick
TO this is applied Is gallons per square
yard of heavy asphaltic oil Of the quality
required by the New Jersey specifications
for bituminous binders. The asphalt Is
applied hot. being heated In the tank cars
in which it is shipped. Thisls covered with
about an inch Of screenings and rolled to
hard surface. For moving the stone
traction engine is used to haul dump wag-
ons. The compacting is done with a 10
ton steam roller, and the shoulders are COM
pressed with 5-ton asphalt roller. The
contract price for the work complete was
$63,000. not including some of the retain
ing walls or bridges.
Warren county has constructed within
the past nine years. with State aid, more
than go miles Of macadam roads without
issuing bonds Great care and watchful-
ness have been exercised and as result
a road Of the very highest construction
was built.
A Marylander who has observed this
method Of construction. and who advocates
it for Maryland, said
1T is interesting to note the method
described above is that which has been
adopted by New Jersey in 1909 for all
State road construction II is evident,
therefore. that the commission In New Jer-
| aau 10 oottofad uytth tho ahsnI,,ta ,,acasa a,
of binding the road materials together so
that they cannot be washed or blown away.
Massachusetts has had the same expert
ence. and now everywhere In that State
one sees the use Of asphaltic materials in
new roads and also in the repair OF old
roads
1T has been shown that the maintenance
of such roads costs infinitely less than
roads in which an oily binder is not used,
and that the life Of the road is very greatly
increased.
From the standpoint Of public health IL
would seem the absolute duty of road build
ers to put down dustless roads. Expert
ments have shown that many Of the more
common infectious diseases. particularly
those of the lungs. nose. throat and eyes,
are due In large measure to dust, more
so than to all other causes combined, and
the saving in the health Of people who live
along the side Of such roads and Of those
who use them constantly would be very
great.
THE fact that high-class road cOnstruc-
ton such as is being carried on in New
Jersey can be done with this heavy as
phaltic oil for $7,342 mile. exclusive Of
bridges, shows that there will be little or
no additional cost, as our roads in Mary
land are now costing anywhere from 81 900
to 10000 a mile.
But even though the initial cost should
be greater. II seems the absolute duty Of
the Maryland Roads Commission to give us
the most lasting highway with the least
possible cost for future maintenance which
is possible. and when this can be combined
mobile-proof road 1t would seem an absolute
crime to continue in the present oid-time
method Of construction which has been dis
carded by the best road builders abroad
and in this country. not only on account Of
its disease breeding. dusty characteristics.
but on account Of the great saving in
maintenance and the greatly increased
life Of the road
.
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