The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-06-11
Goes I'd ROOT
OF The SUBJECT
Class Of Construction the Prob
lem Road Builders Face.
EXPERT EXPRESSES HIS VIEWS

Their Cost, the Cost ef Mainten-
ancs and Durability-NothIng OF
More Universal Interest Than the
Common Road.
Representative Shackelford of Mis-
souri,, an ardent advocate of good
roads and an enthusiast, in his bill re-
Gently passed by the lower house OF
congress, followed the basic principle
which underlies all highway construc-
ton, that of common interests-the
interests of all the people. There GER
tainly can be no more common inter
est than the common road, open to all
alike. The national government has
recognized this universal conviction,
through taking steps to give federal
aid to the states, or subdivisions of
states for the improvement of public
roads.
At this time . question which 10
giving concern to road builders and
road authorities is that of kind or
class Of construction. 1t goes to the
very root of the whole subject. IL
may be taken as granted that there
is no such thing as permanent con-
struction. All classes of construction
will in time show signs of use, and
give evidence of the necessity for re-
pair. The expense Of upkeep must
enter into all calculations where high
ways are either to be constructed or
improved The only issue to be de-
termined, therefore, is what character
Of construction Is best suited to pre-
sent demands, according to locality,
and which through a term of years
will meet the requirements Of the
minimum cost.
The United States is woefully be-
hind many Of the countries Of the old
world in the matter of road construc-
ton and maintenance, and particular.
ly the latter. This is because the
question has not received serious at
tention until within the past few
years. But the people are awakening
to the fact that poor roads are an ex.
ceedingly poor public investment.
Frank D. Lyon, former deputy COM
missioner Of the New York state de-
partment Of highways and a leading
expert on road construction, is now
in Ohio studying conditions. He has
given q statement concerning the diff
ferent kinds of construction, their
cost, the cost of maintenance and
durability. 1t contains information
which has not heretofore been pub
lished, and valuable statistics of
which the people at large have no
knowledge. He said:
Brick pavements wear out. There
are instances, however, wherever
such pavements have lasted about 20
years, but which we're exceedingly un-
satisfactory and disagreeable for the
last four or five years of their exist
ence. Brick streets 20 years old are
In existence and look as IL they might
last many years longer, but the travel
on them is light.
In Cuyahoga county, o., brick roads
have been rebuilt that were not over
nine years old. There is nothing to
warrant an estimate of the life of an
average brick road. At best, 1t is
generally conceded that it will not
last more than 20 years.
The average cost of a brick road,
16 feet wide, properly constructed, can
not be estimated at much less than
$4,000 per mile. Money being worth
5 per cent interest fixes the interest
maintenance at $3.50 per mile per
year. Add to this a low estimated cost
for care and attention of $125 por
mile per year, together with O fund
that naturally and necessarily must
be collected to resurface the brick
road. Assuming that the foundation
is intact and will last for an indefinite
period, reasonable estimate of the
cost OF such resurfacing would be
from $4,000 to $4,000 per mile.
Therefore a fund must be collected
OF from $500 to 500 per mile per
year for such resurfacing. 1t there
fore follows that it is fair and proper
to estimate the actual cost of the
maintenance of the average brick |
road at from $1,S75 to $2,075 per mile
per year. The above Is based on the |
supposition that the subgrade has
been so thoroughly drained and the
base 80 carefully constructed that II |
will not be thrown out of position |
and will not need rebuilding and re-
shaping.
Concrete construction is in a purely |
experimental stage. In some locali- |
ties, notably in Wayne county, Mich.
fgan, it is claimed that satisfactory
results have been attained. But from |
reports from many other localities, It |
is proved conclusiyely that until prop
er methods of construction are known,
that 1t seems highly improvident to |
adopt this naode of highway construc-
tion, excepting for the purpose of |
meeting some local requirement, to |
utilize local materials, and for expert.
mental purposes.
The average cost OF concrete road,
J6 feet wide. can not be estimated at
much less than $4,000 per mile.
Money being worth per cent inter-
est fixes the interest maintenance at