The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-08-12
OUR CONCRETE ROADS
Stretches On Eastern Shore Bring
Forth Favorable COMMENSURATE
Cheap AS Macadam.

Rapid progress is being made b,
the State Roads Commission in tn,
construction of concrete roads il
several sections of the Eastern
Shore. Chairman o. E. Weller, O
the Commission, and Chief Engi
neer Henry G. Shirley, state tina
they expect to have a considerable
mileage of concrete on the East
ern Shore before winter and tina
they believe it will solve the roae
building problem in Maryland. Hith
erto there has been much trouble
in maintaining macadam roads I'm
der the wear and tear of heavy au
tomobile traffic.
Between North East and Elktor
there are several miles of concrete
road and croad and a considerable
stretch under construction. This
section has been generally consid
cred the worst piece of road in
Maryland and one of the worst in
heart of the Cecil county clay sec
ton and in winter or rainy weather
has been a veritable bog. This con-
dition was the more annoying as
the stretch is a part of the great
North-to-South automobile road. The
concrete road now built and being
constructed there is said to have
proved highly satisfactory for local
uses and TO motorists.
Between Centreville and Easton,
another piece Of concrete road is
under way, and the Commission ex-
poets to have about five miles of it
finished during the present con-
struction year. This piece. too, is
on a road where the motor traffic
is heavy, being part of the
through road on the Peninsula.
Near Salisbury, Commissioner w.
B. Miller has under his direct SUI
pervision a section of road from
Salisbury to Ocean City. All of
this road will be of concrete, to
Withstand the large automobile US
age which is anticipated when a
modern road is opened to the sea-
side resort. Mr. Miller and the
other members of the Commission
are highly pleased with sthe work
under way and it has been praised
by a number of people who have
it.
In Dorchester county, near Cam
bridge, Gov. Goldsborough's home,
another section of about four miles
of concrete is being laid. This
will be completed shortly, t is
expected. Concrete was used here,
it is said, not only because of the
motor traffic over the road, but
because the road surface is only a
few inches above tide, mad it would
have been extremely difficult and
expensive to have gotten a base for
a macadam road that would not
have been weakened by the seep-
ing Of water.
Similar conditions prevailed near
Crisfield, where about four miles of
concrete is being laid. There the
tide was even nearer the surface
than on the Cambridge sroad, and
the commission concluded that a
road could ndt be kept
in proper condition EXCEPT BY heavy
expenditures for maints
On all the section} mentioned
there is not being laidaa cover or
carpet on the concrete. This is
said not to be necessary until sew
eral years after the road has been
opened to traffic except where there
are unusual conditions. The con-
crete road is smooth under traffic
and appears to Withstand the heav:-
est usage without the depreciation
often seen on macadam roads.
Chairman Weller says that at
present the concrere roads are be-
ing said at practically the same
cost as macadaJn, and that he is
inclined 10 believe that within a
short time means will be found to
make them cheaper than macadam.