Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-10
EXPERT REPORTS
ON VERMONT ROADS
Believes Highway Commissioner
Should Have Jurisdiction
over Trunk Lines.

Franklin. Oct. State Highway
Commissioner Charles w. Gates last
August requested the u. S. department
of agriculture to seni an expert TO
Vermont to examine highway condi.
irons here and the working of the
state aid law, and to advise in regarl
to any changes in the law or It's ad-
ministration that seemed advisable.
The department sent Paul D. Sargent,
assistant director of tae Office of pub.
lie roads, who has prepared the follow.
ing report:
Upon invitation Of Charles w. Gates
State highway commissioner. to make
a thorough inspection of the roads OF
Vermont for the purpose of recon-
men ding what legislation. IL any. waa
needed to strengthen the highway
work In the State. I spent the entire
time from the evening of August 2
until noon of August Q in Vermont.
August 3 AMI were spent In Ben
nington county. with D. II. Winslow
U. s. highway engineer. office of pub
lie roads. and Daniel Bates, county
supervisor for the state highway de =
partment, In examining about 100 miles
of highways In Bennington county.
Particular attention was given to
new work under way and to work
which will be undertaken in the i'm
mediate future. 1t appears to me
that the work in this county at tie
present time is we'll in hand and ell
of the new work is laid out and is be =
sense way and accor ling to good en-
cheering principles.
August to noon Of August was
spent with Mr.. Gates and with several
| county supervisors who were taken
along from time to time while travers-
| ing the territories under their several
Supervisors.
EXCESSIVE GRADES EVERYWHERE.
| During this time about $40 m1les of
road, mostly selected highways. were
covered. Practically all natural con .
ditions were found that would be mot
in any and every part OF the country.
] considerable acres were traversea
|
sand; in many places natural gravel
soil was found and in other sections
a considerable amount of ledge under
laid the road or showed on either side.
The topography of the entire state is
very much broken and hardly mile
of road can be found. with the ex-
ception of the roads in Grand Isl,
Icounty. whore excessive grades are
not frequently met. The selected roads
which have not been improved. ex.
Icept by the system of maintenance in
vogue, appeared to me to be rather
narrow
| Evidence of cool practical improve
ment was seen, however. at frequent
intervals. especially on the roads les
ignated as trunk line roads on the
map just published by the state high
way department and frequently OF
others of the selected highways
These improvements consist of widen
ing the road. reducing grades and
surfacing with gravel. Much of tht
widening has been done at SHARP
curves AMI has necessitated the blast
ing out OF large amounts of ledge. In
every instance the Improvement ap
pears to me to have been of a decided
~ practical and valuable nature.
All improvements have been carrie.
out as far as | could see with thorough
provisions for drainage, with the possible
Exception that a few old stone culvert
have been left in the work and heightened
to meet the additional width of roaC
which in the future may give SOM
trouble. This criticism is based on
cursory examination of only a few cul
verts. With the limited funds availa b
for most of these jobs it may be goo,
Judgment to leave in the work culvert
of this character which appear to hav
10 or Is years Of service.
HAVE TOO SHARP CROWNS.
Another criticism which I would max
of the improved roads Is that they hav
been built with too sharp a crown: thi
tends to contine travel strictly to tn
center of the road and in turn gives tn
appearance Of being much narrower tina
it really IS. On account of the fact tina
travel holds TO the crown of the road
the shoulders quickly grass over. SO tina
} on many sections of improved road Their
Is only about 10 feet of travelled trac
! showing between the grass shoulders
! realize that the sharp crown has bee
. made on account of the fact tina
practically none of the roads are flnishe
by the use of rollers and the high crow
) allows for the natural settlement an