The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-02-04
Cost and Location Of
Earth Roads

WaFhiu %. II. 6 Feb. tine
cost Of hdltng owes" countr, r,u'
ls Target, determined by me fir' nf
the load that can Doe hanIed. the
number of trips that can be- made in
a day and the ear and tear on
teams and equipment, according To
The office Of public roads, depart
mont Of agriculture. steep grades
as we'll as ruts and mud-holes serve
.tr decrease both the speed and the
toad ON the principle hat q chain
o. mo- onR than us weakest link.
the maximum load hat a team can
draw Is the load that ~ can draw up
TIE steepest hin or through the
deepest mud hole on that road.
wherever possible roads should DE
located ON straight lines between
terminal points In hilly or moan
%tainous country. however. the at
tompts to keep roads straight be
tween terminals often leads To- IN"
serious error Of heavy grades.
strnightnoss and grade mus, there
fore be handled together Tho best
location ls n which Is straight len
general direction. is free from steep
, grades. b. located ON solid ground
land serves the largest possible num-
her ~ people. ROADS should he To-
Gated for the benefit Of the public
az well MS the private land owners
The elimination Of one or two
steep hills on u line ~ road viii fire.
laucntly enable horses 10 draw three
% four times as much Bs they could
draw on the old road. II takes app
proXimately four times as much
power 10 draw loads up 10 per cent
grades G6 feet vertical In 100 feet
horizonta1 as ION a level but on a
per cent or . per cent grade q
horse can usually draW tfor a short
timcl as much ~ he can draw on a
ieVcL a per cent grade Us there.
fore considered the maximum on
toads subject to heavy hauling. MANY
steep grades may bc avoided by To-
I,atng the road around instead OF ~
Ter the hnl-the handle ol the buck
a. is no longer when ncld IN a hori'
zuntal postum thar In a vertcaisB,
going around we avoid two steer
mills.
n the road must pass NJ a steer
hil OF mountain sides, the steepnes'
Of the grade mas Ne decreased bi
increasing the length ct the road "
other words, eliminate steep grades
by locating the road ON curved col
ziggag lines. and not I'm q stralEh
time from The bottom 20 the tor "a
the hnl These curves should bN
carefully plotted and The straigh
stretches located vita an instrument
lThis Improves the looks OF the roa'
rud Hoes not add materially to it
cost.
In studying the relation Of grad.
Ia distance the following calculation
s interesting. To Iift a ton one foo
high requires 1000 foot pounds %
energy ON q road the surface q
which offers 100 pounds of tractiv
resistance per ton the same encfg
would roll the ton o horizontal dis
%itonce 81 20 feet. To save onc foo
of grade tho roud MAY therefore D
ilengthenod 20 feet.
Roads should mover be- located =
close Co stream beds as 90 be- sub
lloct 10 overflow. or on ground whic'
T. constantly damp and marshy
The earth road should have a
least six hours of sunshine each dal
his can DE occurred either hy locai
ing tho road with southern or wes
tern exposure or hv having suc
brush and trees as Impede the dry
4. ling action of the sun and wine r.
f, moved. with gravel n ston
roads. this Is not so necessary, as
certain amount of moisture ia need
ed on such roads, especially m m
- summer time.
, Relocating roads o. not am eng
lneerinR problem alone. one mui
also consider the effect of the rou
= on those who now live upon h. Man
q farmers dislike Co nave the roa
n placed back Of their house or out Z
. sirhi 81 b. % requires tact ar
. good Judgment a. secure q suitnb
location without arousing harsh ~
tugonism.