Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-10-30
CONCRETE FOR GOOD ROADS
Chicago City officials Impressed With
Construction Of PaVements In
Michigan Township.

In its publication, Chicago Com
uerce. the Chicago Association of
Commerce thus presents details Of an
inspection of concrete pavements and
roads in Michigan:
"A party Of 80 Chicago aldermen.
the president, chief engineer and
members of the board of local Inn
proyements and the engineer of the
committee on downtown streets of the
association of commerce inspected the
concrete roads and pavements in
Wayne county, Michigan. The trip
was given in the effort to make city
officials and others interested In good
paving construction realize the ever
increasing Importance of concrete.
Arriving In Ann Arbor the party
made a trip Of inspection in autos
over the concrete pavements of that
city, accompanied by the city engineer
E. w. Groves. The concrete pave
ments in Ann Arbor are laid six
inches in thickness in two courses
one a 41-inch base course of gravel
concrete upon which is laid a IN
inch wearing surface of a l to 2 mix
ture of cement and coarse sand Over
this wearing surface is spread a thip
coating of refined pitch, which is
busted over with sand. Expansion
| joints filled with pitch are provided
every rs feet This wearing surface
has much the same appearance as an
| asphalt pavement Mr. Groves states
that with the traffic in Ann Arbor,
which is light, the protective coating
of pitch will last three years. The
pavement cost about 81 per square.
/ It is claimed that the low first cost,
sanitary qualities, wearing quality and
ease of repair should recommend this
pavement for light residence streets.
AT Wayne, Mich, with Edward N.
Hines, road commissioner Of Wayne
county, an inspection was begun OF
the county's 40 miles Of concrete
roads. These roads vary in width from
IL to IS feet. They are built of about
81 inches of a rich concrete mixture
/ to III to applied in one course.
Expansion joints are provided every
% feet To prevent the wear which
usually takes place at the expansion
Joint In concrete pavements plate of
soft steel flush with the surface is pro-
vided in the newer roads. No surface
covering Is used, 1t being the belief of
the road commissioners that for coun-
| 4a he ortn y.
face will prove 80 durable as not to
Justify any increase in the first cost.
The roads built In the last four years
have varied in cost from $1.28 to $1.71
per square yard. Mr.. Hines states that
practically nothing has been spent
upon any of these roads for main.
tenance. In appearance the roads are
remarkable for their cleanliness, al.
though they are never cleaned except
by the falling rain.
"a defective bridge which made
necessary a detour of several miles
over unimproved clay roads upon
which hard rain had just fallen, to-
gether with an exciting slide down q
hill covered with soft clay in autos
served to give a striking example Of
the condition of Wayne county roads
before Improvement and the value OF
such Improvements.
THE general opiuion seemed to be
that for the conditions existing in
Wayne county the road commissioners
had made no mistake in adopting con
crete as their standard of construc
ton for country roads. Chicago's city
officials agreed that the concrete roaC
or pavement, properly constructed ant
used under right conditions. has iti
place and expressed their willingness
to give concrete q trial in Chicago"