The Washington herald., 1910-01-16
old ROCKFISH ROAD
Construction Work Starts
on Mountain Highway.
LEADS OUT OF WAYNESBORO
MncadHm pike VIII Connect Shen-
nndoah Valley with ChATIOtteS-
viIIe-It Goes Over Traffic Route
Used More Than Century-Means
Much to AutOmObiIiAts.

Construction work was begun last week
upon the ROckhsh road, leading out Of
Waynesboro. Va. and extending ten
miles eastward. The fact is significant,
in that II will be the first connecting
link between the system OF good roads
IN the Shenandoah Valley to those al
ready built and projected east OF the
mountains
The road out OF Waynesboro is on the
line between that city and Charlottes-
vile. Va, and is Of interest to automo-
bllists in Washington as being a start
toward connecting the Capital with the
Valley of Virginia by one Of the most
direct routes out Of this city.
Work Began Last Monday.
The work Of construction began last
Monday at the city line of Waynesboro
in grading the road under the supervis-
ion Of the Virginia highway commission
The right of way is over the first graded
road in Augusta County. which was built
eighty-six years ago in pursuance of an
act of the Virginia legislature passed
March S, 1924 The road passed over the
Blue Ridge Mountains at a grade Of 70
per cent. This old road for three gener-
atoms was the main highway for the
grains Of the EelIey 10 the seacoast cities.
and through long use the road has be
come impossible.
The State highway commissioner Of
Virginia has selected as a new route the
Temporary" track Of the Virginia Cen
trail Railroad. which in the late SOS op-
Grated a narrow-gauge railroad over the
mountain during the tunneling OF the
Blue Ridge. This temporary track has a
maximum grade Of per cent. or five
feet rise TO every hundred feet. and Is to-
day intact, and with increased width viii
be made serviceable for the macadam.
and this will be again a main thorough
fare for traffic.
The road has been known for a hun
dred years as the Rockfish road, as II
connects the Rockfsh Valley in Abe
marie and Nelson counties with the
Shenandoah Valley in Augusta County
and this movement Is the joint effort Of
the three counties. who have subscribed
State, county. and private funds for its
construction.
Value of the Road.
The Virginia highway commissioner
states that this Will be one OF the most
important roads in the Commonwealth,
as it connects by an easy grade the fer
tile Valley of the Shenandoah with the
cities of the east and traverses miles of
apple orchards. farming and grazing
lands, and opens up for the dwellers In
the crowded cities available sits for sum-
mer homes along the slopes Of the noun
tains within three miles Of stations on
two main lines Of railroad with sixteen
passenger trains daily. with a mild. dry.
and healthful climate and pure spring
waters
From an engineering standpoint this
road is of interest. as It starts on the
east at an elevation of 500 feet above sea
level climbs by gradual grade I'D and
over the crest OF the mountain at Rock
fish Gap ar IN elevation Of 1900 feet, and
drops down to Waynesboro and connects
with the Shenandoah Valley roads at an
elevation Of 1900 feet. The road will be
twenty-five feet wide. with twelve feet
Of macadam, and WIFI be built by and
under the specifications Of the highway
commissioner. Grade will be easy, mod
ern methods OF undertakings will be
employed, and there will be no grade
crossings where this road crosses a rail-
road.
The initiative in this road Improvement
was taken three years ago by the
Waynesboro Board of Trade, which, with
the patriotic citizens associated with
them, have brought this enterprise along
through many setbacks to the present
beginning of the actual work OF con-
structiOn.