The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-11-06
WINTER CARE OF ROADS.
Keep bitches and Drains Open and Use
Road Drag to Prevent Injury by
Freezing Weather.

Water, not cold, is the cause of the
deterioration of roads in winter, accord.
ing to the road specialists of the depart
ment. Cold weather does not in itself
injure roads, no matter whether they are
earth, gravel, or macadam. In fact, an
earth road will stand more traffic when
it is solidly frozen than at any other
time. Excess water, however, is always
detrimental to highway. When cold
weather turns this water into ice, the
damage that it does is greatly increased.
Ice occupies considerably more space than
the water from which il is formed, and
every person who has lived in a cold
climate is familiar with the powerful
bursting effect of water when left to
freeze in confined vessel. The same
action takes place when wet road
freezes to any considerable depth. IL
simply bursts, or, as we generally term
it in road parlance, the road heaves
Later, when the frost leaves, the road
is disintegrated and ruts badly. II this
process is repeated a number of times
during the winter gravel or macadam
road may be practically destroyed, while
an earth road may become entirely i'm
passable.
A dry road win not heave. Rock,
gravel sand and even clay when perfect
~ dry contract slightly on freezing. In
order to expand on freezing these ma
terials must contain or be mixed with
water, and the more water they contain
the greater the expansion which takes
place. But so long as the road remains
frozen the damage does not become APP
parent. Hence the frequent and errone-
Gus idea that il is the thaw which in
lures the road. The injury was done
when the water in the road froze and
the particles of the road surface-brok
en- stone, sand or still finer particles of
earth or elay-were pushed apart by the
power of the freezing water.
The thaw merely allows the ice TO melt |
and assume its original volume as wa.
ter.
The remedy is self-evident. Keep the |
water out of the road. The time TO be- /
gin preventive measures is early in the
fall. before the rains begin. Ii the road
goes into the winter thoroughly dry, /
with the surface and drainage in good
condition, the chances are extremely ia
vorable that il viii come out all right 1
the following spring
Keep the bitches and drains open. Re 1
move all accommodations Of weeds, grass.
ETC.. which tend 10 retain moisture and
obstruct drainage. Furthermore. do this
work early, while the ground Is still dry
and hard. Vegetation and litter bold
water like a sponge and allow Il grad
aaily 20 soak in and soften the earth.
The Job before the road man j. % keep
Inc hard. dry surface formed IN the sum
ner time from becoming softened by the
all and winter rains and SHOWS When
he fall rains begin the earth Or gravel
-oad should b. dragged frequently 20
prevent the formation Of ruts and the
-ollcction Of water. All rsveied places on
naeadam surfaces should b. carefully
illed in and consolidated.
During the winter. whenever thsw
= coming On. the cross drains and side
iitehes should b. opened W a. far a.
,ossibic - ~ 20 prevent water collect.
ne along the roadway. n the tiaw =
. pronounced that the roadway i soft /.
ned. the drag should b. used; some
lines one round trip 81 the drag. with
b. hitch reversed. will entirely rid the
arth rusd Of slush and melting snow
nd leave the road surface practically
.9 Don't ct the idea that the drag
! net NEEDED IN yOur earth ard gravel
aads IN tis winter time. Instead keep
whore Fau ran 20 ~ 4 readily. fer
the winter j. 81 ordinary pus you ull
I'D 4 ulamF tiuses
Winter destructive begins is the early
al Ttf tsast uny - frerent suah o..
tTurtiun i e. forestan ~ keHp the
aaa erv ard refueinfsf that So long AZ
rstHrius - "a wiH not ~ ssrtnusir ID.
.Hea ~ frost kesu tis drains nfan
- ftsf,fs tlaar. rfnlufe 81 eeelfsfiun3
~ fttFr suf 49, ftt drsr frsTurrfiy
ftls trDuias frum the cciarst wfrtef.