The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1915-11-12
WINTER CARE OF ROADS
Keep bitches and Drains Open
and Use Road Drag to Pre-
vent Injury by Freez-
ING Weather.


the deterioration of roads in win
ter, according to the road spec
ialists of the department. 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 a 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 it is form
ed, and every person who has
lived in a cold climate is familiar
with the powerful bursting effect
of water when left to freeze in
a confined vessel. The same ac-
ton takes place when a wet road
freezes to any considerable
depth. 1t simply bursts, or, as
we generally term it in road par
lance, the road heaves. Later,
when the frost leaves, the road
is disintegrated and ruts badly.
If this process is repeated a
number of times during the win
ter, a gravel or macadam road
may be practically destroyed,
while an earth road may become
entirely impossible.
A dry road will not heave.
Rock, gravel, sand, and even
clay when perfectly 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 ex-
pansion which takes place. But
so long as the road remains
frozen the damage does not be-
come apparent. Hence the fire.
quent and erroneous idea that il
, is the thaw which Injuries the
road. The injury was done wher
the water in the road froze anC
/ the particles of the road surface
t broken stone, sand, or still
; finer particles of earth or clay
were pushed apart by the ex
panding power of the freezini
water. The thaw merely allow
! the ice to melt and assume it
+ original volume as water.
f The remedy is self-evident
: Keep the water out of the roaC
: The time to begin preventiv
4 measures is early in the fall, be
ore the rains begin. If the roa
goes into the winter thorough
dry. with the surface and drair
age in good condition, the char
d ces are extremely favorable tina
g it will come out all right the TO
e owing spring.
It Keep the bitches and drain
open Remove all accumulation
/ of weeds, grass, etc, which ten
to retain moisture and obstruC
T. drainage. Furthermore, do TIL
IS work early, while the ground
n still dry and hard. Vegetatio
If and litter hold water like
1t sponge and allow it gradually
" sOak in and soften the earth. TT
Job before the road man is
keep the hard, dry surface forr
ed in the summer time from b
g coming softened by the fall al
winter rains and SHOWS. VIII,
n the fall rains begin the ear
or gravel road should be dra
n ged frequently to prevent &
formation Of ruts and the cole
"a ton Of water. All raveled plac
or on macadam surfaces should
carefully filled in and consolidI
nd ed.
re During the winter, whenever
nd thaw is coming on, the crc
drains and side bitches should
al be opened up as far as possil
he so as to prevent water collecti