Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-07-14
HOW TO MAKE AND KEEP
THE ROADS SMOOTH

IL i
THE ROADS SMOOTH
American Highway Association L.
sues the Following Directions
For the Upkeep Of Roads.
The traffic on earth and gravel
roads has constant tendency to de-
velop ruts, chuck holes, and depres.
sions. The chief aim and purpose OF
road maintenance is to prevent and
remedy this destructive action. To be
successful and efficient, road mainten.
ance must be systematic and continu.
Gus. Haphazard work is expensive
and unsatisfactory.
If the road is very rough and I'm.
even or the crown very low the road
machine or grader is very efficient
for placing it in shape. One must
guard, however, against the all too
common practice of scraping the sod
and other vegetable matter and refuse
from the sides and bitches on to the
road in general, on the clay and
heavy soil roads all vegetable or
spongy material should be carefully
excluded. Such materials absorb
moisture readily and furnish but lit
tie resistance against wear. The road
surface should be built up with the
best material possible material which
will pack and consolidate under traf-
fic and which will be as nearly water
proof as possible and will wear uni
formly.
In general the road machine or grad
er should be used in the spring of the
year while the ground is moist and in
such condition that it will work east
ly and at the same time pack well un-
der passing traffic. Considerable
skill and judgment is required to use
the road grader to the best advantage.
An unskilled and careless operator
will sometimes actually leave the
road in worse condition than when
ne began work. Do not scrape sod
and refuse into the road. Good earth
Is far better as it will not decay nor
absorb moisture so readily. Do not
be guilty of the too common practice
OF leaving a windrow of clods or loose
earth along the middle of your road
to impede traffic and absorb water at
the first rain. Leave the roads smooth
over the entire surface and traffic
will spread and be less likely to pro.
duce ruts. Always use the grader in
such way as to make the road bet
ter and not worse for the passing traf
fic.
When the road has been placed in
good condition as to crown and
smoothness the road drag is the best
tool for maintaining it in that condi-
ton. Drag the road after each rain
while the surface is still moist but not
sticky. Use light drag and move
only a very little earth-just sufic-
lent to fill the ruts and depressions
and leave slight surplus if the crown
is low. Ride on the drag and shift
your position according to the amount
of earth necessary to be moved. If
the rain has been of long duration it
may be advisable to drag the road
twice; first very soon after the rain,
and again when the clay is drying out
or beginning to set. =.
Do not drag dry road. Success
full dragging is dependent on a certain
amount Of water or moisture in the
road surface. Practically - all clays
and most soils, if not too sandy, will
puddle if worked when wet, and on
drying out will set very hard. The
drag in connection with traffic is es-
sentially a pudding machine, which,
when properly used, leaves the road
surface crowned and covered with a
smooth layer of puddled and densely
packed soil. This layer is as nearly
impervious to water as it is possible
to make it. Following rains find lit
tie or no places for lodgment, as the
water quickly runs off to the side
bitches. Unless the rain is long con-
tinued the road surface is not soften.
ed to any great depth. The prompt
use OF the drag after each rain leaves
the surface smooth and ready to with
stand the next storm.
Therefore, to make your road
smooth, use road machine or grader
to put it in proper shape in the spring
OF the year. To keep your road
smooth, use the road drag judiciously
after each rain. This will keep an
earth or gravel road in the best shape
In which it is possible to maintain it
throughout the year.