The Penn's Grove record., 1913-09-26
STEVENS TALKS
OF ROAD MAKING
State Highway Commissioner
Tells of His Studies
TAR AS DUST PREVENTIVE
English and French Roads Are Mar
row and Crooked-Danger Reduced
BY System of Signals and Care
full Drivers.

Especial Trenton Correspondence
Trenton.-Col. Edwin A. Stevens,
State Commissioner of Roads and
Highways, who recently returned
from a trip to Europe, made some
interesting studies of highway condi-
lions abroad, and also looked into
the methods of construction there.
In an interview Colonel Stevens
talked of some of his observations
and conclusions. He said:
Colonel Stevens Views.
The first impression made by the
English roads and a less extent by
the French roads is their lack of
width. The English roads, too, are
generally narrow and crooked. The
danger of these defects is greatly re-
duced by an excellent and thorough
system of danger signals and by the
wonderful careful observance by mo-
tor drivers of such c%autionary signs
as Go Slow" BLOW Horns,' etc.
The roads are largely used, of course,
but l doubt whether the intensity of
traffic, the tonnage carried per mile
OF road is, on the whole, greater
than in New Jersey. They have many
more miles of roads per square mile
of area and a much higher percent
age of improved roads than we can
boast of, but l doubt whether much
OF that road gets as hard usage as
ours. Taking France, for instance,
they have about 10000 miles of road
and some 100000 licensed motor We
hicles. We have $500 miles improved
and about $4,000 motors. Even TAX
ing u total mileage, improved and
un1mproved, u figure is only $4,000.
In other words, in France, they have
about O.3 of a motor per mile of road,
while we have 8 1-3, or more than
eleven times as many. have not the
figures for England. This is food for
thought.
Same Construction Methods.
AS to construction, their methods
and our do not differ essentially
for water bound macadam. Their
stone is usually much more expensive
than ours; their labor is cheaper.
The cost per square yard, however, is
not very different. They are more
particular than we as to the amount
and character of binding material
(other than bitumen); but this is a
matter of inspection mainly. On the
English roads one is struck by the
small capacity of the drainage works.
Their cutters, pipes, ETC., are all much
smaller than ours. All due to the
lesser maximum run off resulting
from the more moderate rates OF
rainfall. The English use tar almost
exclusively in their dust PROBING and
surface coating. 1t is used in smaller
amounts per square yard than with
US, but is much more carefully ap.
piled. Generally it is spread by hand
on a carefully cleaned surface and
thoroughly broomed into the road
This avoids Uneven application and
the presence of dire between the road
and the material which should pene.
trate the surface. l did not see a
rolled up into ridges as so often hap
pens with us.
Greater DIFFICULTIES Here.
AS to the problem generally we
have grea : difficulties to overcome
Our climate is both colder and hot
ter; our frosts much more severe
our rainfall much more concentrated
and our maximum rate of run off much
higher; consequently III roads are
more damaged by washouts. Oul
labor is more expensive and appa
rently less thoroughly trained. Oul
organization and general system Of
administration is less highly devel
oped. We have not yet learned the
Importance and difficulties of oul
task. 1t is hard, if not impossible
to get the same consideration fol
roads in this State as in England anC
we are as advanced as any Other
State. The thoroughness of theil
records, plans, accounting, traffic cen
sus, estimates and analysis of costs
is very impressive. To handle oul
work as they handle theirs we mus
follow their methods. The apprecia
knOu Ol LLc ldCt IldL 4Odu Uui1oAA
and maintenance are a field of engi
neering demanding a high grade o
professional training is absolutel.
necessary. We are progressing tt
such an appreciation.
Wealth of Materials.
We have in this State a wealth o.
the best road materials and therefore
no considerable advantage over the
most favored of our European con
t~emporaries. We were some hundred
years behind them at the starting