The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-10-21

la Walla but in my opinion you did
not get very good results. The gravel
in the bank from which it was taken
is not uniform in quality. In places
the percentage of sand is too high and
almost generally there is lack of
sufficient binding material. Further
more there was an attempt to consol-
idate too great a thickness of ma
terial. 1t is mistake to endeavor to
consolidate thickness of more than |
five inches. To make proper use of |
this bank gravel you should remove |
all sand in excess of about 40eo and
add about 1870 of binding material,
build the road in two courses, the bot
tom course to be about five inches
thick after consolidation and the top
course not less than about 81 inches.
If you will follow this suggestion /
think you will get better results. The
road surface as constructed at first
was loose generally because of lack
CT binding material, and where it
broke in large spots there was too
large percentage of sand. The adj
dition of very thin asphaltic oil
fabricated rather than bound the sur
face. l am of the opinion that al
though the waterbound gravel road
is suitable for roads carrying light
traffic l think the traffic your trunk
line road will carry will necessitate
a more durable construction-just
how durable should be decided after
a determination of the traffic the road
is, to carry.
Profit by Mistakes
"You are to some extent pioneers
but because you are pioneers is no
reason why you should pay for the
experience that other pioneers have
paid for. You should profit by their
experience. Because you have not
at your command the resources of old
er communities is no reason why the
money which you do have for road
work should not be spent to the great
est advantage. Officials of hundreds
of counties have paid hard earned
money to find out that you cannot
build good gravel roads as you have
just tried to build one. Does it not
seem foolish for Benton county tax
payers to pay again for the exper-
fence? You cannot make proper pro-
gress in such a manner. Perhaps you
may say you cannot afford to pay
for a road which costs more. 1 say
to you in reply that in the end you
will pay more because you will pay
! for the better road and in addition
for the experience which proves to
you its necessity. So why not ac'
cept the experience of those who have
. gone before?
i Outline Program
81 will state what think you shoule
: do and in the order in which thinl
you should proceed in few words
sYou should arrange for the care o.
: your existing roads SO that they vii
not deteriorate. You should have
s study made to determine the trafh'
y which each of your roads will carry
a You should have devised complet'
; road system for your county. Yo'
! should have the traffic which will
II come upon your roads routed owe
4 your proposed system so that tn
very heaviest traffic may use the roa
q designed to carry it. Begin construc
IT ton by building the backbone OF you
q system first, using the type OF roa
y which the traffic determination show
n necessary. Continue your construe
ton, finishing the trunk lines mrs
e then build the laterals and finally Ia
B local branches, but never fail :
z maintain all roads so that they WI
not deteriorate.
Is GAIL of these things you mus
.. eventually do and the sooner you a.
10 range to cary out the program ca
st better it will be for your future pr
1e press. The Office of Public Koae
D. stands ready to assist you in ever
e way possible. It stands ready to .
s. sumo the direction of the above pr
gram for you, but as consulting higl
Q. way engineers working with your
Oh cal county engineer rather tnan u
!" stead Of him."