Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-02-17
ESSENTIALS OF ROADS.
State Highway Commissioner of Cal
ifornia Gives Practical Dircc-
tions as to Requisites.

According to Austin H. Fletcher.
state highway engineer of Califor-
MIA, the essentials CT modern rural
highway are as follows:
A readjustment of the road loca-
tions or rights of way so as to Sc
cure proper alignment and to obviate
the necessity for travelling around so
many section corners.
The elimination of all crossings of
highways at grade with steam and
electric railroads.
Rights Of way of uniform width,
preferably not less than 60 feet.
Maximum gradients in the noun
famous country a. I per cent and
minimum radii on the center lines of
such roads of 30 feet, with all curves
opened out as much, as possible by
flattening slopes and removing brush
and such trees as interfere with the
view. A clear sight of at least $50
feet should be secured wherever it
is practicable.
The construction of permanent
culverts, cutters and bitches wher-
ever they are needed to prevent wa
ter from standing on the roadsides
and on grades to prevent outlying
due to the water being carried too
far in the cutters and thus accumu-
lating in volume.
The construction of bridges of a
permanent character, preferably of
reinforced concrete, such bridges to
be at least "a feet wide in the clear
and so designed that they Will carry
16-ton traction engines with a reas-
enable factor of safety.
A minimum width of roadway of
16 feet, which NAV be travelled safe
ly, such width to apply only to those
places in the mountains where there
is so much rock as to make a
greater width pronibitive on account
throughout the remainder of the
state of "a feet on embankments, or
22 feet in through cuts and 221a
feet where the road is part cut and
part fill.
A crown or cross chamber vary
ing from one inch to the foot where
no surfacing is applied to less than
one-eighth of an inch where bitumi-
nous surfaces are used, in all cases
the crown to be tie least needed to
cause the water to run quickly from
the road into the cutters.
Such type of surfacing as the
needs of the locality varying from
the graded road to the highest type
of asphalt paving and varying in
width from Is to "a feet.
The erection of guard rails at dan
gerous points on grades and on high
embankments. In places guard
banks Of earth are preferable to the
wooden fences because OF their great
er permanency.
The proper trimming of slopes
alonS the roadsides, both old and
new, so as to prevent the unsightly
gashes now so noticeable along the
roads. Also the planting Of suitable
trees, Indigenous to the locality, and
properly caring for them.
The placing of proper permanent
monuments at the time of construc-
ton along the roads to mark accur-
ately the limits of the right of way
Such monuments will be OF inestima-
BILE value to surveyors. Also the
erection and maintenance OF guide
boards marked to show places and
distances accurately.
A proper system of maintenance
for the upkeep Of the roads after
they are built, coupled with. ade-
uuate appropriations of money. Such
appropriations and such a system
should be provided for even before a
road is completed, since even II the
wearing surface requires no ependl-
ture for some time-a rather un-
usual condition-the cutters, cul-
verts and slopes always viii E9eu
attention.