Norwich bulletin., 1915-11-10

two-inchS stone; and then clean chip stones are rolled in. and then over that another coat of asphalt to make 1t water tight.
 Another sbiturninoas niacadanl + is known as the mixing system where the crushed stone and asphalt are mixed before rolled in. Then a second coat of tar or asphalt covered with sand or method is more generally favored by road engineers, and is maintained at a moderate cost
 MT. Patterson then referred to bituminous- pavement and sheet as- phalt which cannot be laid. without a proper working plant. Some of the roads are patented. and therefore not available by reason of the increased expense. The sheet asphalt pavement E is now standard, and is constructed of sand and crushed stone in the main.
 He referred to the expensive modern pavement, where the material is treat ed before use to prevent the wood from srotting. The pavement is very slippery and dangerous to horse drawn vehicles. Then he referred to the stone block pavement, which is now laid by a modern method. Now these blocks that are better cut than before and are laid in solid foundations and in cement and are very durable. Then he too kup. the yitrified brick pave nent, the bricks being laid in grout, rather than III d Sctllu CuSA1Oits ddQ thereby retaining smoother sur face.
 In regard to concrete highways, MT. Patterson said they originated in the west. Concrete pavements have not always been successful. except those that are carefully aIld properly laid. He said some favored the expansion joints and some do not. Cracks are permitted to come and then they are filled in. But the majority of engineers favor the expansion joints, although the joints are liable to round and the road deteriorate. The concrete road must, to be successful, be properly maintained. There is grouting method that is patented and which is generally used, and known as the Has san pavement.
 The matter of road building is pe- culiar and cannot be made fully sat- isfactory without the expenditure of. considerable money. There are many road building failures, due to the amount of money expended as much as to anything else.
 Toronto spent s14, ,000, 900 for good roads and Massachusetts nearly $1O,- 000, 900. This indicates a general idea of money expended for good roads. He then gave figures for eighteen foot roads, where water bound, $2,000 to $3.000; asphalt covered road about 5000 a mile; concrete road to about $11, ,000 a mile; bituminous macadam for about $11,000 a mile. The average cost of a concrete road is about $14,-- 900 a mile; sheet asphalt, stone, block and brick would be about $25,0O0 to $40,000 a mile. What is wanted is an economical road, and. the only logical way is to figure in the interest, the cost of construction and the main tenance and then could get the actual cost per mile per year. Then economy would be based on the traffic.
 Does community get anything back by having good roads? It at tracts to the community, lessens the cost of haulage which is quite an item, larger than the ordinary person would imagine, and in that way the com munity is benefited
 James Nj Pendleton asked if the state of Rhode Island was to build 3, road from Westerly to Narragan- sett Pier, what would you suggest.
 MT. Patterson said he would rec ommend bituminous concrete con- struction. The road would be IS feet wide, as the width of the state road is limited by flaw, the cost would be 75c a square yard, or S, 900 a mile, which with the shoulders would bring hc cos up to say s9,000 a mile
 In response to a query from Coun- cilman Maurice w.. Flynn. MT. Pat terson said that for the road in the village of Westerly he would recom- mend a concrete base.
 Milo Clarke asked what Mr. Patter- son would recommend for the treat ment of a dirt road, and he said drag the road and use the scraper. Therc Is not much use in putting bituninoas on a dirt road. except in the form of a dust layer, which would slightly i'm prove the surface. It is not the prac- tice of the state to oil dirt roads but the oiling is to lay the dust and not improve the surface.
 Thomas Mckenzie stated that tho 61 0.ad i fea l . is much traveled by automobiles arc asked MT. Patterson what he coneid- cred the best treatment for the Watci2 Hill road. He favored bituminoGs cor crete construction. but could not tel she cost as did not know of the loCa- tion of gravel, but believed the work Fcould be done at 75 . square yaF7. He would loosen up the present road to get uniform grade, just the sur face, not down to the foundation. If gravel convenient he thought the road could be laid, IS feet wide in tho neighborhood of SS,500 a mile. which with the culverts and side work per haps s9,0Q0 a mile. He could not give accurate figures without a survey and careful examination. He believed that there would be increase in cement roads, but believed they wiuld uiti- nlately be used as foundation and covered with bituminous product. These concrete roads have been intro odSCu years III Slalea nigh ways, but they are liable to crack. MT Patterson spoke in an informal and pleasing way and answered many questions in regard to road building that will be of benefit to the taxpayers of. the. town. He said that the average cost of the upkeep of the type of road such as recommended would be about $150 mile for the first ten years, and that the slightest wear should re- ceive immediate attention. This ap- plies to bituminous macadam road and would depend, of course, on the condition of the road as first built. The public utilities commission of Rhode Island has received from all steam and electric roads operating in the state. annual statements showing their financial condition and other statistics. The report of the Norwich and Westerly Traction company shows: Road and, equipment, $1,932,- 4a3.94; other investments. $400, ,000; total assets, $21. APO. .423.1o; stock, $1,- 100, GOO: debt, $1.200,000; deficit of $80, ,93767. Ashaway and Westerly |