The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-09-09
Bennington County Vermont
Improvement Association
This Section is Given up Weekly to Community Better
ment. The Material is Furnished by The County
Association. Headquarters, Savings Bank Building
Bennington, VT Secretary, Willard w. Bartlett

The patrol method Of maintenance
is established in a town on request OF
the town road commissioner and the
selec.me.. who designate certain
piece Of road from five TO ten miles in
length on an important route as
patrol road and request the state de-
partment to assure its maintenance
for the season, offering a sum from
the town maintenance funds towards
its upkeep. If the state commissioner
accepts the offer he appoints a patrol
man and provides the necessary addi-
tional money from the automobile
fund. The state does not accept
smaller payment from the towns than
the average amount Of road money
per miles raised by the town for main
tenance purposes. The patrolman
works under the immediate direction
of the county supervisor He puts In
his full time, or as much as may be
required, to maintain the road in
satisfactory condition. In this way
the small defects continually appear
ing under heavy automobile traffic and
from other causes receive prompt at
tention, the road drag can be used
frequently and when the road is in
the right state of moisture. In brief,
the patrol work is maintenance--keep-
ing road from getting bad-ln dis
tinction from repairing-fiving road
after it gets bad, the procedure which
the town commissioner is frequently
forced to adopt due to his limited
funds and the wide range Of his terri
tory.
The patrolman is provided with
either a single or double team as the
character Of the road may require,
also when necessary additional labor
is furnished. When the patrolman's
time is not demanded in the care of
the road surface he is at work on more
permanent improvements such as the
removal Of large rocks, opening cul-
verts and bitches, widening narrow
stretches and cutting brush.
In 1914 the patrol system was in
use in one town, Woodford. For this
season it is in use in Pownal, Shafts
bury and Woodford.
In construction work the four funda-
mentals of width, alignment, grade
and drainage have been the guiding
principles. All important roads have
been built at least q feet wide be-
tween centers Of bitches and only very
frequently have curves OF lass than
400 feet radius been used. With the
exception of few specially mountain
Gus localities grades sleeper than
eight per cent have not been permit
ed and wherever practicable without
unusually heavy cost, seven per cent
has been the limiting grade. Surface
drainage has been provided in wet To-
calities by underdrains or stone base
as the case required. No part of the
past seasons construction work has
been badly washed by either the
spring thaw or subsequent rains. The
standards of masonry construction for
this county have been low in the past,
both from the standpoint Of pleasing
design and strength and durability.
Work of better quality has been re-
CURED in both culverts and retaining
walls. Several plain and steel rein
forced concrete culverts have been
built, the latter being generally in
novations in the towns where built.
The most extensive work was done
in the towns of Bennington, Pownal
and Readsboro, the amount expended
being between $4,000 and $4,000 in
each town. The total of all construc-
ton costs coming under the direction
of the supervisor amounted to $751;
179. 81. Seven and one-fourth miles
of road were completed, consisting of
81 different jobs. In addition, 10
pieces of re-surfacing were done at a
cost Of S2,433.49.
The funds available for 1915 are
practically the same as for last year.
At this writing, July LIST, construction
work is under way in all towns except
Bennington, Glastonbury, Sandgate
and Woodford.
(Signed) JAMES L. DAVIS,
Supervisor,