The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-26
STREETS RUINED
BY AUTOMOBILES
Surface Cut and Ripped b,
Grinding, Sliding, Driving
Motion and Chains.
NEED BLANKET OF ASPHALT
New Formulas Being Tested So
as to Protect Streets From
Greater Damage.

That Richmond must adopt a new
method OF treating The surface OF
streets i'll the outlying sections 10 pre-
vent their being ruined by automu-
bilcs is the opinion Of City Engineer
Boiling, who will recommend to the
street Committee the treatment OF u
number OF streets with a bitulithic or
tar blanket on top OF the usual rolled
scavcl. The peculiar driving motion
GO the rear wheels of motor cars, the
blowing effect of chains, and the ten
9ency 10 slide and cut through the
Ga57scc of the streets when the brakes
arc applied suddenly. makes the motor
car. in the opinion OF the CITY En-
sinecr the most damaging OF All va
nicles OH the streets OF the city. Fur
thermorc, the general introduction OF
the motor cars has tended to greatly
increase traffic III outlying sections.
Last summer the city at some cX-
pensc, graded and gravclcd Cary Street
Road and Grove Road from the Boule-
ward TO the new city limits. One win
ters traffic has cut these newly grav-
eled roads into an almost impassable
mire. Mr.. Boiling will ask for funds
This year to scrape of the mud, shape
up tho roads and lay over them an
inch or more blanket of asphalt prepl.
ration.
Testing New Formulas.
He is making tests now as to the
action of the weather on the various
formulas which have been offered FOL
mixing such a preparation, especially
TO determine whether they become
brittle and show Il tendency 10 chip
ANA break in freezing weather. Mr.
Boiling maintains that for highly de-
vclopcd streets. where the values
justify the outlay. there is no more
permanent nor satisfactory paving than
the asphalt blocks used here on Grace.
Franklin and other streets. the price
of which has averaged about S2.20 per
square yard, laid on gravel, or about
S2.75 to IS laid on concrete, as would
be necessary in the case OF Il heavily
travelled street like Broad.
A. soon as weather permits an en-
pertinent is TO be made on Fifth Street
between Franklin and Main, with u
bitulithic macadam pouring OH at boil
Ini; heat Il mixture of tar ana asphalt
over hard-rolled macadam. The cost
OF this will be about one-half of the
asphalt block paving. while the cost
OF the proposed top dressing. without
the expense OF the heavy stone courses
used in ma cadami1ing, Will be much
less.
New Streets Ruincd.
The FEBRUARY number OF The Amer.
lean City" n monthly magazine de-
voted to municipal problems and civic
bettcrmcnt, contains an article by city
Engineer Boiling, abstractinS paper
on the same subject which he read
before the American Association for
the Advancement of Science at Wash
ington on December ~. in which MI.
Boiling urged a concentrated effort on
the part of cities In street building 10
have water, gas and sewer mains pre-
Ccdc the laying of the surface of the
streets Mr.. Boiling tells Of streets
carefully built and drained III the out.
lying sections OF Richmond which have
been subsequently ruined by other de-
partnents of the city government,
which had failed 10 lay water and gas
mains before the street was completed.
lie says:
Wherever thus installed the re-
suits are a series Of ruts and mounds
in the streets. have never seen a
street properly repaired after being cut
up for pipes. In communities that are
/ improving ana developing, the hrst cry
! is for good road. Then later follows
tho demand for water, sewerage and
light After while these necessary
constructions are ,made--nost often al
long Intervals With each pipe con-
struction the street is cut Into, again
injured and finally the street or road
mas to be entirely reconstructed"
Inck of Co-Opcruii0n.
Instances could be multiplied where
The Light Committee has rejected no
,icc after notice from the engineers
department that street was 10 be
improved, because there were not then
sufficient houses on the street 20 make
The laying OF a gas main popular Not
only does MI Boiling recommend the
laying OF all mains in advance OF street
construction, but also that the side
connections be made 10 the curb line
OF each lot, whether sucn Il lot be built
upon or not
Even IL some OF these connections
20 unused for years. Mr. Rolling holds
that such construction would be TIE
greatest economy in The long ruu and
in the meanwhile Il protection aud
comfort to users Of tie street. In com
nunt!cs where aewcr. water ana gas
are provided, growth and improve
ments come rapidly. and i, has been
the experience here that such streets
arc built up even before tile improve
meats car. &c G mnlcted
Il recognize" say, Mir oilns" tho
fact that the time wilt never come
when the streets OF city OF town
will not have to be cut into for re-
pairs and various other purposes and
that 10 :, large extent what mas been
brought to your attention applies 70
local conditions as evidenced In my
own experience At the same time ]
feel assured that by Consideration and
CO. operation in tho laying Of under
ground pipes prior 10 the surface i'm
provcment Of a road or street much
money can be saved in construction,
ana especially in mathematics"
Held for HouSrhrrnkinE.
ieT arr ~ tor