The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-22
CONSTRUCTION VS.. Matntcnance.

~ A".s IsA hSSNS AStNNtS vi Nv
funds are left for the maintenance
during the balance of the year after
construction ceases. and the necessity
OF constant attention and a careful
maintenance policy is overlooked en-
tircly.
The facts arc that there exists d
great danger to get into a rut in this
respect. and to go on cxpending all
available funds during a few weeks
termed construction work. whether it
Is needed or not. leaving nothing for
Keeping the roads in shape. The as
sesslments for O work. are large
enough in his state ii the funds were
expended to the best advantage.
Where road assessments may be work.
ed out rather than paid in cash. there
always exists the temptation to work
1t o in the short season Of the year
when the farmer has best time to do
1t. That much work is wasted In this
way Is very evident. In all those Sec
lions where the roads are built up. the
effort is all put into making the grades
higher or the bitches deeper to little
permanent good. The roads are, Of
course. generally gone over and
slnoothcd down. But one levelirg will
not do for the entire year.
Maintenance Is tho Important Thing.
After thirty years or more of road
milding in the eastern half Of the
state and the expenditure of several
hundred thousand of dollars. it should
be fair tn assume that VIC are well
along with road construction. which
with us only means a plain grade. We
nave come to the point where at least
nifty Der cent of the money raised
should he expended in road mainten-
ance. The time when nearer ninety
per cent should be spent in mainten-
ance should not be far distance.
Now by maintenance is not meant
one leveling each summer. but a care
FULLY planned system for keeping the
road level and smooth the entire open
season. This means attention after
each rain storm. the fixing of respon-
sibility on someone to take care OF
each and every mile Of road and the
apportioning of the funds available so
as to carry out he work. 1t hoes not
mean an excessive expense, nor does
1t mean that the farmer shall not be
privileged to work out his assessment
though a cash payment would make
the plan much easier to operate, even
under a system of letting each taxpay-
the proper time and be paid in cash as
the work is done.
Specification for Earth Roads.
General: The soil Of the Red river
valley and the eastern portion of the
state lends itself easily to the con-
.struction of roads. The problem Is,
generally speaking, merely one of
making a uniform we'll drained grade.
An ~elevating grader. drawn either by
horses or by a gasoline or steam trac-
tor. Is generally the most economical
means for doing the bulk of the work.
Where the road passes over low plac-
es necessitating a higher embankmcnt.
the slush or drag scraper will give the
best results. Good roads will moder-
ately high entertainments can be made
by blowing in towards the center of
the roadway, rolling and repeating the
operation several times. A four
or leveler will also do effective work
on loose and plowed material.
Grading of Roads.
The grading may be done either
with an elevatinG grader. blowing in
towards the center of the road way or
by blowing and using the wheeled side
scraping road machine. or a combina-
ton Of these. The object shall be to
get Il uniform grade or emba nkment
approximately two feet higher at the
crown thar the average surface ot
the ground. The embankment shall
be proportionately higher where it
passes Owe low places. and relatively
lower where it crosses ridges and high
ground. The material eXcavated in an
effort to u bitches through ridges
and high ground shall not be placed
on the grade making same higher
where the ground is the highest. An
effort shall be made to follow a uni
form grade. n towards cutting down
the high places and filling UP the law
places.
Cross Section: The finished road
way shall be twenty feet wide and
shall have a uniform crown Of one
inch to the foot. The embankment
shall have q. slope of two to one. EN-.
bankmcnts higher than three feet
above the surface shall have a. BERN at
least five feet wide between the road
way and the ditch. and all bitches
shall have the inside slope at least two
to one.
Leveling: The grade shall be made
uniform and leved by disking and
narrowing and finished by rolling of
be taken in making the crown true
and uniform.
Drainage: The bitches shall be run
to a true grade throughout their entire
length. An engineers level should be
used in determining the gradient.
Nc excessive excavation in low places
for increasing the road emhankment
Stidll We toIeIdlCu,d as SuCIl places Will
retain the water and soften the en-
hankment. All low places should be
drained into a main run off channel.
Specifications for Culvcrts.
C%ulverts: All culvcrts shall be of
concrete, extra heavy. vitrifed tile or
cast iron. Culverts shall be so placed
as to have the top of same at least
six inches below the grade Of the road
way. /. e.. there shall be at least
six inches of soil or top of the culvert
with no elevation of the roadway at
point where the culvert crosses. All
culverts shall be at least twenty feet
long where concrete hulkheads are
used. and as much longer. where no
bulkhead is used. as will insure a
embankment and roadway OF
the. full width specified. All culverts
must be laid so that they will drain,
and II the height of the embankment
does not permit the use Of a one cul-
vert large enough to take care of all
the water, W OF more shall be used.
Culverts laid at intersection Of two
roads shall be at least thirty feet long.
Top Dressing: Where sand or
gravel la be had. a top dressing Of
either will improve the. roadway very
much. Even a small proportion Of
sand and gravel in the soil will pre-.
N it from sticking to the wheels ex-
cesslvely. Four to six inches Of sand
or gravel disked or narrowed into the
top surface will make an excellent
roadway. but a smaller amount would
be of no great value.
n0N'T KNnIa1 THEY