The Rice belt journal., 1915-05-07
REPORT
ON COST Of ROAD
Hon. Geo. II a t h way,
Chairman, Makes Re-
port to Good Roads
Commission on Cost Of
Gravel, Grading, Etc.

mlSSlo yesterday in Jennings Hon Geo
Hathaway, chairman of a committee
appointed by the Commission to gath
er detailed data on road materials and
cost OF construction ETC., submitted a
report on the result Of the work of his
committee, The report contains valua.
BILE information upon the subject OF
roads now prominently before the peo.
pie of this parish.
The following is the full text of the
rerort:
Jennings, La. May 5,1915.
Good Roads Commission,
Jefferson Davis Parish.
Gentlemen,
Your committee on data
and information regarding improved
roads for this parish beg permission to
report as follows:
MATERIAL. As gravel is the principal
material proposed to be used and as it
enters into the cost to a greater extent
than any other item, much atten.
ton has been given this material. We
find good, bad and Indifferent quality.
1t makes quite difference as to what
pits in this state gravel is obtained,
and before purchasing, it is advisable
that members of the police jury visit
the pits and examine the quality and
availability.
GRAVEL is sold at pits from 40 cents
to 90 cents a cubic yard. To points on
the Southern Pacific r. R. municipal
freight rate of $24.0O a car can be pro.
cured, car minimum 10000 pounds, or
about 80 yards to the car. Gravel
weighs on the average $500 lbs per
yard, varying as to moisture in gravel.
Specifications usually cell for 60 per
cent stone with sufficient binder ma.
terial-clay, etc.-to properly pack and
cement.
COST-For the purpose of prelimin.
ary estimate as to cost to enable you
to approximately decide how many
miles you can gravel with the funds
available to be taken into account
with other items of expense, we can be
safe in fixing cost of gravel on cars at
S1.40 per cubic yard. We believe it can
be purchased for less. Loading in
hauling, ETC., say 75c cubic
yard; placing and leveling at 1Oc a
yard; we now have cost of $2.25 per
cubic yard.
GRADING AND PREPARING ROAD
BED-ThiS is difficult to estimate as
the topography of the country is so at
variance. but as an average we will
figure on $5OO.0O per mile, exclusive of
bridges, ETC., but including engineering
and drain boxes. From the foregoing
we now have basis on which to esti.
mate the cost per mile complete.
Take a roadway nine feet wide with
an average depth of gravel of eight
inches, we have an expense for gravel
per mile Of $4,000; add cost of grad.
ing, ETC., S5OO.00, and we have total
cost per mile of So, $4,000, gross.
On a'twelve foot road way. eight
inches deep, we have an expense for
gravel per mile of $3,52O.O0; add cost Of
grading, ETC., S5OO.O0, making total Of
81 $4,000, gross, per mile.
You can from this data estimate cost
of any width or any depth of gravel
desired.
With revenue Of S4o0,O00.O0 we can
build about 13O miles Of road nine feet
vide, and approximately 100 miles
sWelve feet wide. These estimates are
considerably less than the cost in
Jalcasieu Parish, but most every one
'amiliar with known facts admits that
,oSt was excessive.
We are not furnishing any data as to
bridges culverts, ETC., as we do not
Understand that is to be taken into |
at this time, but can be
supplied as needed in the future. If
included in the cost that would increase
he expense per mile at least $500.00 on
IN average, presuming iron and con.
,rete is used.
We can spend $5O0O.OO to 100000 a
nile as Calcasieu has done, or can con
'truct good and sufficient roads at
100000 mile, exclusive of bridges.
If let by contract complete cost may
exceed the foregoing figures. By em.
oloyihg a competent supervising engin. !