The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-10-28
GIVES SUGGESTIONS
FOR ROAD WORK
Government Engineer Advocates
Frequent Use of Road Drag
on All Highways

S. highway engineer who visited in
Kennewick last week, dissatisfaction
with many types of road construction
is not due to any fault Of the partic-
ular type but the neglect of the road
after it has been built. One common
mistake he said is to build a road
and then expect it to stand up under
traffic without care and attention.
Mr.. Kendall is strong advocate of
the frequent use of the road drag.
He gave the following suggestions
for maintaining both gravel and earth
roads:
To maintain a gravel road surface
properly attention must be given to
proper dragging, suitable patching
and resurfacing when necessary.
In general, gravel roads, when new
ly made, almost Immediately begin to
rut under traffic. Gravel which con-
tains enough clay to pack readily will
generally become muddy when frost
is going out in the spring, or after pro-
longed rains and wet spells. This lat
ter kind of clay-gravel can be read
lily improved by adding to it thin
covering of sandy gravel which should
be applied when the older gravel is
moist and soft and allowed to mix
under traffic, being kept smooth by fire.
quent use of the road drag.
The dragging of any gravel road
should begin after the first good rain
following the completion of the road
and be continued after each subse-
quent rain until the surface becomes
so hard and smooth that heavily load
ed wagons can make no impression
on the surface.
This means that the dragging must
be frequent the first fall until winter
sets in and the following spring until
the middle of May or early June. At
ter that dragging will not be found,
very effective unless the rains are of
long enough duration to slightly soft
en- the surface.
When dragging is Systematically
followed up, it will be found that the
cost of maintenance OF, gravel roads,
including some patching, will not ex-
coed ten to fifteen dollars a mile per
season.
This work of patching is usually
neglected. or done in such way as to
cause two ruts to form where there
was one before. This results from
filling the rut too full. Patching should
always be done when the road is wet,
probably when little water is stand
ing in the little depressions. Patch
ing done in the proper manner at this
time followed by the road drag will
maintain an old gravel road good as
new until worn out. The gravel used
should always be as good as that for
merly used on the road and should al
WAYS be the same kind and should not
contain an excess of clay.
Patching should never be done when
the old road surface is hard and dry.
The new material will soon be ground
into powder and make dust and mud.
Earth Roads
The simplest and most economical
wav to maintain an earth road is by
the frequent use Of road drag in
the right way and at the right time.
There are a large number OF types
and makes, ard each kind has its mer-
it's, but the ordinary homemade one
from a split log or of planks, is just
as efficient when properly made and
used as the more expensive types.
The object to be attained by use OF
the drag is perfect drainage and
smooth hard surface. The first prln-
ciple is to keep the water OUT OF
the road by making the wagon track
smooth, compact and imperyious. The
second principle is to keep the water
OFF the road by giving a crown to
the surface and making the wagon
track a little higher than the gutter.
And the third principle is to keep the
water AWAY from the road by means
of clean, open cutters and bitches
having good outlets from the right
of way.
After a rain, when the suface OF the
road is soft and muddy, the drag will
smooth the surface of the road, fore
ing the mud into the hollows and ruts,
and flushing the water off and into
the cutters. The drag moves small
quantity of the moist earth toward the
center and forms crown. This lay
er of earth, when compressed and
dried, becomes exceedingly hard and
impervious. The additional effect OF
traffic is to thoroughly compact this
top layer so that after q few drag
eings it will be noticed that the road
- bocom;no constantine smoother and