The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-06-07
MORE ABOUT ROADS.

DDS of road construction
The first thing that impresses is
that under dry weather conditions the
well-made, well-kept dirt road is the
best possible. 1t is the smoothest,
the easiest on man and beast and We
hicle. 1t is the least expensive to
keep up and repair. This only applies
to the well-made, well-kept dirt road.
For, just as it is the easiest to maln-
tain, it is the easiest to become rough
and uncomfortable through neglect
Last week we pointed out the diff
ference between the road conditions
between Vail and West Side and be-
tween West Side and Carroll. AS We
stated then. there was practically no
difference in soil or in drainage. The
entire difference lay in the intelli-
gent effort which had been put upon
gravel roads are undoubtedly the best
during rainy seasons, but they are
more extensive to maintain and I'M
less we'll cared for they are very prone
to become wavy and full of hills and
hollows. They are duStier than dirt
roads and, so far as motorists are
concerned, much harder on tires and
running gear. These inconvenience,
however, can be largely overcome by
careful supervision and the fact that
these roads are passable the year
round is tremendous compensation
which justifies the expense.
1t is indeed too bad that so-called
road work" is the terror of every
tourist. A man will travel miles to
avoid a road which has recently been
worked. There is no necessity for
this. There is no real reason why a
newly worked road should not be left
as smooth, finished product ready
for immediate travel.
1t is correct theory that a road
should be crowned that is that the
center should be slightly higher than
the sides, but the man who crowns
the road with diadem Of rough cut
sod commits crime which should be
punished by Imprisonment. Iowa soil
is fertile, it produces a sod which is
tough, wiry and fibrous. 1t would take
weeks of heavy traffic TO reduce this
plowed up sod to roadway. But
drivers are not so self-sacrificing as
to drive over this plowed ground in
the middle of the road just for the
sake of the public good. Very natur
ally they drive to each side, forming
two narrow, siding roadways which
are dangerous for rapid transit, es.
pecially in wet weather, and along
which vehicles are constantly push
ing the loose dirt to the side and re-
| filing the bitches.
The middle of the road ought to be
the best part of the road.
The best road builders of dirt roads
do not use the sod from the bitches at
all. 1t is thrown clear outside the
roadway on the opposite side of the
bitches. If it is felt that the sod must
be used, the first cutting should be
very thin in order to cut through, not
under, the roots, so that it will be
easily breakable. To get the ordinary
roadside ditch at least three cuttings
should be made. If the thin cut sod
is used to crown the road it can then
be covered by two layers of fine rich
mould. and a good roadway can be Sc
cured. Even then, no road should DE
left until the center is disked or har
rowed in good condition for traffic.
Travel on the middle of the road will
form hard roadway just where it
should be and will greatly lessen the
cost of maintenance.
We are glad to learn that many of
the counties have discovered the
economic fact that concrete bridges
and culverts are much the cheapest.
They can be buried so as to be I'M
noticeable to passing traffic, and if
rightly located and constructed they
will last for many years. A great
mistake is made in making bridges
and culverts too narrow. From "a to
30 feet is none too wide. This en-
ables a road to be continuously
dragged and kept in good condition
without narrowing for each culvert.
The present policy of the trans
continental association is to repair the
road wherever possible and talk about
it afterward. The best way to drag
a road is to drag it, and the best way
to fix high culvert is to take a spade
and go after it. People travelling from
Arion to Vail will notice the many
telephone poles with white band
painted about five feet from the
ground, black letter ''T' will be
painted overGthis white background
and this will be the mark of the