Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-05
The IMPORTANCE
OF ROAD MAINTE-
NANCE AND REPAIR
No Permanent Roads Exist,
Hence the Need of Constant
Observation-Disclosures and Tips
from the Expert Officials in
Uncle Sans Employ

| There is no phase of the road prob
lem more important than that of
maintenance. The general impression
that there are certain types of roads
that are permanent is erroneous. No
permanent road has ever been con-
structed, or ever will be, according to
the road specialists of the depart
ment. The only things about a road
that may be considered permanent are
the grading, culverts and bridges
Roads constructed by the most skillfui
highway engineers will soon be de-
stroyed by the traffic, frost, rain and
wind, unless they are properly main
tanned. But the life of these roads
may be prolonged by systematic main
tenance. a poor road will not only
be improved by proper maintenance,
but may become better in time than
d good road without 1t.
The first and last commandment in
earth road maintenance is to keep the
surface well drained. To insure good
drainage the bitches should be kept
open, all distractions removed, and a
smooth crown maintained. Except for
very stony soil the road machine or
scraper may be used very. effectively
for this work. The machine should be
used once or twice a year, and the
work should be done when the soil is
damp, so that II will pack and bake
into hard crust Wide and shallow
side bitches should be maintained with
sufficient fall and capacity to dispose
of surface water. These bitches can
in most places be constructed and re-
paired with a road machine.
All vegetable matter, such as sods
and weeds should be kept out of the
road, as they make a spongy surface,
which retains moisture. Clods are
also Objectionable for they soon turn
to dust or mud, and for that reason
roads should never be worked when
dry or hard. Bowlders or loose stones
are equally Objectionable If a smooth
surface is to be secured.
A split-log drag or some similar de-
| vice is very useful in maintaining
the surface after suitable bitches and
cross section have once been secured.
This drag can also be used to advan-
tage on a gravel road as well as on an
earth road. The principle involved in
dragging is that clays and most heavy
soils will puddle when wet and set
|
ton that the earth road needs must be
given promptly and at the proper time
If the best results are to be obtained.
In dragging roads only a small
amount of earth is moved, Just enough
to fill the ruts and depressions with a
thin layer of plastic clay or earth
which packs very hard so that the
next rain instead of finding ruts, de-
pressions, and clods in which't to coll
lect runs off, leaving the surface but
little affected.
The drag should be light and should
be drawn over the road at an angle
of about As degrees. The driver
should ride on the drag and
should not drive faster than a walk.
One round trip, each trip straddling a
wheel track, is usually sufficient to fill
the ruts and smooth the surface. If
necessary, the road should be dragged
after every bad spell of weather. when
the soil is in proper condition to pud
die well and still not adhere to the
drag. If the road Is very bad, it may
be dragged when very wet and again
when it begins to dry out. A few trips
over the road will give the operator
an idea as to the best time to drag.
Drag at all seasons, but do not drag
a dry road.
The slope or crown of an earth road
should be about inch to the foot. II
the crown becomes too high, 1t may be
reduced by dragging toward the ditch
instead of from it. If the drag cuts
too much shorten the hitch and
change your position on the drag. II
it is necessary to protect the face Of
the drag with strip Of iron, it should
be placed flush with the edge Of the
drag and not projecting. A cutting
edge should be avoided, as the main
! object in dragging is to smear the
damp soil into position.