The Bottineau courant., 1912-02-02
NAN I TANNING !
e. - :. 3. = =.
GOOD ROADS.
Various Methods Depend Upon
Local Conditions. 9
COST IS A BIG FACTOR.

Tho Ideal Highway Of Today Must Be
Smooth, Durable, DustIsss and Cheap.
4 Says James Owen, Esssx County.
i New Jersey. Expert.
4 In discussing the good roads problen
in such an extensive country as this
one, with its varying climate. topog-
raphy. materials to be used and habits
of the people. it would be hard for any
one individual to cover the ground. as
Of necessity each mans environment
and experience are limited. Yet the
aggregate Of such experiences will be
Of value to all.
TO properly consider the subject iii
it's entirety 1t may be wise to indulge
In classification Of the people, the
pavements and the pay. The travel
ing people may be divided into urban
suburban and rural. It may be conf
dently stated that the requirements
of the pavements differ In character
/ practically in accordance with this
classification except that there may be
a certain overlapping due to special
conditions. This covers two heads
The ability to pay varies spasmodically
with climate. topography and energy
Of the community.
| Now enters into consideration the
character of the vehicles of today.
which are two, self propelled and horse
drawn. Both Of these may be divided
into fast and slow moving. the heavy
wagon and light buggy, the motor
truck and the automobile, these intro
ducing still other items-the iron tire
of the wagon, the rubber tire of the
buggy, the corrugated tire ,of the mo-
tor truck and the pneumatic tire of
the automobile ALI these factors vary
in weight and speed. and their effect
on the surface Of the pavement is of
| vital Importance.
Another point which has not yet
arisen is the effect Of different pave
| ments on the tires of vehicles. So far
the owners of such vehicles have been
so busy trying to get something smooth
to ride upon that they have been con
tent to pay their bills for new tires and
new wheels ungrudgingly, yet in the
future it will be an important econom
ic- factor
There is still another factor which
today is the most important In road
construction-viz. the suppression OF
dust.
! Taking all the factors outlined here
tofore, the problem is to furnish road
that is smooth, durable. dustless and
cheap, and that problem is today fac
ing the civilized world. With the
use of such standard pavements as
wood block. granite block, Medina
sandstone, brick, asphalt and the tar
compounds and with proper care in
the selection and manufacture of ma
terial and a conscientious disposal of
it in place, in most cases smooth.
dustless pavement will be secured.
However. this point is one for purely
local consideration and cannot be gen.
evalized upon.
We now come to the mastic PROPOSE
tions in which the maintenance depart
ment sooner or later takes an interest.
The asphalt and tar preparations give
a smooth. dustless and serviceable
road and are desirable for residential
sections and in many cities are univer-
sal. Their maintenance is carried on
in different municipalities in different
ways, some owning their own repair
ing plant. others contracting the re-
pairs and still others neglecting them
altogether. It is safe to say. how
ever. that after five years use of these
pavements the item of repairs begins
to be factor. although the writer has
one asphalt pavement which has been
in use for nearly ten years without re-
pairs or apparent necessity for them.
wish to allude to the financial prob
lem in road construction, and it might
be well to note the varying channels
from which money comes Taking my
own state as an example. these are as
follows:
CITY Street Paving.-A part. say
about 80 per cent on property. balance
on the city at large. Maintenance a
city charge.
Suburban Towns.-Street macadam-
lied sixteen feet wide. A general tax:
extra width. local assessments.
| Rural Towns. s.-M0stly developed by
either state roads or county roads.
County Roads.-Main arterial high
ways paid for on bond issue of the.
county. maintained by the county.
County road repair system abandoned
when state roads came into use.
State Roads. State pays 33 per cent,
county 5612 per cent. town 1O1e per
cent Maintained by the county with
contributions from the state Of auto
mobile money. say 20 per cent
With such varied methods of pay
Iiment for original construction it is to
be noted that the maintenance cost IS
betrayed by either the county OF mu-1
nicipality. with the addition Of a small
amount from automobile taxes. Now
enters the important part Of the whole
H question Of road and street mainte
nance and that is the ability and will.
fngness to pay.
AS to ability. that is q condition hard