West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-12-23
Repair Road with the Same Material
OF which IL n Made

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Road repairing is worth considering
In broader way than has been done
in the past. In some sections the
work OF construction is almost COM
plete and now attention must be di-
rected To road repair and mainten-
ance. II is useless to build any kind
of road and then neglect IL. Repair
work should bo started tho day con-
struction is complete. II this Ia done
there is not much danger OF the road
becoming bad. Neither will its useful
ness be impaired by the actions OF
time and usage. A good road out OF
any material will need some attention
TO keep the water of OF IL. bitches
and culverts must be kept clean.
shoulders kept up and weeds from the
roadside.
Earth. macadam, bituminous and
other kinds OF roads must be kent
smooth. On the earth road there will
appear ruts and mud holes unless
there is vigilant maintenance man
on the job all the time. When n mud
hole appears IL should be cleaned out
and drained. then be filled with good
clean earth free from any vegetable
matter This should be tamped solid.
The road should be dragged every
time that ruts appear on the surface
In winter season IL should be dragged
to clean the road bed OF slush. This
Should be done with n lap plank drag.
then after the surface drains and dries
sufficiently It should be drapped with
heavier drag TO fll up all ruts and
make firm the surface. This dragging
should he done at the time when the
earth will crumble. IL is a waste OF
time to drag a road when II is dry.
Rocks should never be put into n
mud hole unless they are broken up
and covered with good earth. Creek
gravel In which there Is sand can be
used but I'm most cases the best re-
suits can be had from the money and
time expended by just using the plain
earth found on the side OF the road
and the extra cost that IL would take
to get other material, saved TO be an
piled to some other point. What has
been said OF earth roads can also be
said OF macadam roads. IL should be
repaired with the kind OF stone that
the original roadbed is made from
and In the same manner that the origi-
nal was constructed. a water-bound |
macadam should be repaired by the
water-bound method. The hole or rut |
should be cleaned out and fresh stone |
or similar size and kind OF that al |
ready In the road should be placed and |
tamped into the hole. This should he |
watered and tamped firm, but under
no circumstance should tar. aspbalt
or any bituminous binder be placed |
upon the newly applied stone, because
this Will cause the formation of a hard |
mass different from the roadbed and |
will start wearing on each side. In
stead OF one hole or rut, there will be
hole, bump and another hole. This
condition can be found i'm the road
leading out OF Blueneld to Princeton
and emphasizes the necessity for the
precaution herein suggested. Infor-
nation on repair and maintenance of
public roads is furnished free from
the state road bureau to any person
who asks for IT,
Stress will be laid upon the subject
Of maintenance and repair at the road
scfool given by the university Janu-
ary IL to 21, inclusive. This course
Is free to any citizen. County engi-
neers are required 10 attend and
county courts, road supervisors and
contractors will be benefited by at
tending