Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-15
USE FOREIGN STYLE
New Jersey Adopts European
Highway Repairing Method.
SELECT EXPERIMENT ROAD
Employ Man to Give His Attention
Daily to Stretch Four
Miles Long.

Notwithstanding the fact that the cost
Of labor is higher in this country than
abroad, the state of New Jersey has
adopted the idea of applying the foreign
method of repairing roads. That state
has taken up this matter because it is be-
1ieved that the expenditure of large sums
of money on highways without adequate
maintenance provision defeats the object
of road making.
A section within the borough and town
ship Of New Providence, Newark, was
selected for the experiment and the
treatment which this road is receiving is
in marked contrast to the system here; O.
fore in vogue. One Of the lessons taught
by the road experts is that repairs should
begin the moment an improved highway
is put into service.
Gets Daily Attention.
In speaking of the experiment a Jersey
motorist says:
ION this stretch of road, four and one
half miles long, man is kept daily at
work with wheelbarrow and crushed rock
filling up little holes in the macadam as
soon as they become apparent Piles of
crushed rock at intervals of about an
eighth of mile all along the road tend
to eliminate waste in distance traversed
by the repairer to the end that at least
once each day he can go over it, filing
up ruts. holes and depressons with ease.
"Over the old system of putting in a
fine macadam road and letting 1t lie un-
til heavy traffic has torn it to pieces,
forcing up to the surface in many places
the large rock of the lower stratum, this
system has a great advantage in that the
road is at all times passable to every sort
Of traffic. Undoubtedly it will extend the
life OF the average road many years If
not almost indefinitely.
with one laborer capable Of taking
care Of a stretch, say, of five miles of
road, the cost Of such upkeep, including
that of the material used in road repairs
ought to be considerably. less than the
difference between one years installment
of sinking fund for bonds whose life
Is commensurate with that of short
lived road and that for the sinking fund
of bonds that run as long as the road of
longer duration lasts
In Vogue in Europe.
Whether this is SO or not only expert
ment can determine. If so the result is at
once financially economic gain, to say
nothing of the benefit to the community
from main travelled thoroughfares con-
stantly in good repair.
Schemes such as this are in vogue in
France and other European countries and
are contemplated under the new Pennsyl-
vania good roads law. And the ability
thus to count upon a longer life for a
macadam road with a minimum of ex-
pense ought to go far to do away with
the vicious abuse of posterity in making
for public improvements bond issues that
are to run longer than the improvements
life, thus making the property owner of a
coming generation pay taxes for dead
horses.
I'm this particular instance the expert
ment Is in SO elementary a stage and the
results are SO inconclusive as not to
justify any safe generalization. Labor
cost is SO much higher than in Europe
that the experience of those countries is
only Of modified value. But the scheme
will bear watching for those who believe
in not burdening the future for present
enjoyments."