Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-17
HOW ROADS IMPROVE
More Than $4,000 Miles Built
in U. s. Since 1904.
SCIENCE BROUGHT IN PLAY
System Undergoing Change for Good
Says Director Page.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AIDS
Experts Sent to Local Communities
to Build "object Lesson Roads,"
Many Counties Helped.

to Build "object Lesson Roads"
Many Counties Helped.
! More than $4,000 miles of improv ed
highways have been built in the United
States since 1904. according to the re-
port of Logan Waller Page. director of
the office Of public roads, just submitted
to the Secretary of Agriculture The
| report says that the science of road
building in the United States is under
going rapid change, owing to chang
ing conditions. The use Of automobiles
alone has made change in standard
| road construction necessary. Methods
| of road building that were considered
| standard few years ago are now out
| OF date. 1t is realized also that with
the need for more and better roads an
improved system of administration is
ne. "ssary. This, too. is changing from
leaving the roads as purely local
problem to putting them under a strong
| centralized administration.
| The Department of Agriculture is do
ing all 1t can to improve the road stu
alton In this country. 1t is doing this
with as little expense as possible to
the general government. Last year. for
| instance, 1t put in ffty-two of what is
known as object lesson roads," This
road is built with local money, where
community wants to improve it's road
system. The Department Of Agriculture
sends an expert to study the road prob
lem. He tells the local authorities what
sort OF road they can build with the
| type of road selected is built, under
| the direction OF the department expert,
and he then leaves for a fresh locality,
and the local authorities complete the
job. These ffty-two roads built last
year represented an outlay of 100000,
while the governments part cost only
$4,000.
Local Communities Given Advice.
Often local communities call for road
advice, and an expert is assigned them
to study their needs and advise them
what roads to improve and the char.
acter Of the improvements needed This
includes not only the type of roads,
drains. ETC., but the bridges and culverts
needed. 1t has been found, in fact, that
local communities lose more over bridge
building In proportion than they do over
road work. This Is q specialized type of
construction about which town councils
and county commissioners know nothing,
and many contractors are in the habit of
putting III duy OiQ SORT OF q Or10Re ana
then making the profit all the trafiic will
bear, II not more. The result has been
to force the road office into the study of
bridge construction, and there is now q
special department to deal with problems
OF that sort. There were 1888 assignments
their services were distributed over
twenty states. There were applications
Tor more assistance than this, but ali the
men available were used.
hA v~N<& Al al
OF help that has been largely drawn upon
BY local communities. This involves the
study OF local conditions and the drawing
up or q comprehensive scheme for present
And future road Improvement. Advice
was given on application to fourteen
counties In eight states. as against three
counties the previous year.
Lectures and papers form one OF the
substantial means OF advice in spreading
tho doctrine OF good roads. Last year
thirty-hve states. They were attended
BY 100000 people. the majority OF them
Demand Tor Highway Engineers.
| One way In which the road work OF
the country IL helped. though the once
is handicapped. Is in the drafting OF
road engineers to local positions. There
is an increasing demand for trained
highway engineers. ana the road once
each year takes a number of graduate
engineers and gives them a thorough
training in highway construction There
Is q constant stream OF requests from
local authorities for competent high.
4 way engineers. and the extent to which
this. branch Of the service is utilised
IL shown by the fact that in the past
Iyear twelve. Of the student engineers
resigned to take well paid outside posi-
/ ttons. This was considerable drain
on the service. but 1T Is considered by
the director as very practical form
Of education.
The work OF testing road Material has
been carried on. and during the year
e85 samples WERE received from all the
states and territories. and from Canada.
Porto Rico and Germany. 1t is re-
markable fact that the number of
samples tested exceeds the total that
thave been tested by the French depart
ment or roads and bridges since it's es-
tablishment.
One phase of this work showed that q
| small proportion OF cement mixed with
common blast furnace Stag increased It's
binding Qualities and made an excellent
road material. Experiments were con.
| tinued with the Oil-rnixed concrete that
has been developed by the department
| This has proved to be a very valuable
| structural material. being strong, CHEAP
| and dampproof.
| HOdu St8tisticS nave Deeu COnpIeu Dy
/ the Office. and 1t is found that the totA
road mileage OF the United States. exclud
| Ing Alaska and the islands. liz o,21O. a51
OF this only a fraction over per cent Ii
| improved. This small proportion was In.
| creased during the past Ave years by
"a COO miles Of improved road. The stats
| tics also cover the effect of roads or
rural communities. and it is thought thai
| these studies, when completed and pub.
| fished. will cause q complete reorganiza.
ton OF the road administration OF thu
country.
He Got His.
From London Opinion.
|