West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-10-29
Importance OF Road MsIntalnsnce
and Repair

There is no phase OF the road problem
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 constructed, or ever will be.
according TO the road specialists of the
department. The only things about a
road that may be considered permanent
are the grading, culverts and bridges.
Roads constructed by the most skillful
highway engineers will soon be destroyed
10y the traffic, frost, rain, and wind, un-
less they are properly maintained. But
the life OF these roads may be prolonged
by systematic maintenance. poor road
will not only be improved by proper
maintenance. but may become better in
time than a good roam without il.
The first and last commandment i'm
earth road maintenance is TO keep the
surface well drained. To insure good
drainage the bitches should be kept open.
all distractions removed. and 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 it
will pack and bake into hard crust.
Wide and shallow side bitches should be
maintained with sufficient fall and ca
pacity to dispose of surface water. These
bitches can in most places be constructed
and repaired with a road machine.
All vegetable matter, such as sod and
weeds, should be kept out OF the road, as
they make spongy surface, which re-
tains moisture. Clods are also objection
able, 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 smooth surface is to be secured.
a split-log drag or some similar device
is very useful in maintaining the surface
after suitable bitches and cross sections
have once been secured. This drag can be
used 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 very
hard when dry. The little attention 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 small amount
OF earth is moved, just enough to fill the
ruts and depressions with a thin layer o.
plastic clay or earth which packs very
hard so that the next ram instead O
finding ruts, depressions, and clods il
which to collect runs off, leaving tn,
surface but little affected.
The drag should be light and should
be drawn over the road at an angle o
about 40 degrees. The driver should rid,
on the drag and should not drive taste
than walk. One round trip, each triI
straddling wheel track is usually suf
ficient to fill the ruts and smooth tn,
surface. If necessary, the road should
be dragged after every bad spell o
weather, when the soil is in proper con
dition to puddle we'll and still not adher,
to the drag. III the road is very bad. i
may be dragged when very wet and AGAR
when it begins to dry out. A few trip,
over the road will give the operator ar
idea as to the best time to drag. Dral
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, it may be
reduced by dragging toward the ditch
instead OF from il. II the drag cuts too
much, shorten the hitch and change
the 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 nosition.