Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-06-11

ty roads. Owing to the fact that but
half of the moneys available for road
purposes Is at the disposal OF the
county commissioners, 1t is essential
, that thorough spirit of cooperation
, shall exist between the townships and
the county, and which will result in
1.-THE townships putting such work upon
the county roads as they can afford,
thus helping to extend the system
more rapidly.
lr the actual building of roads
there are several fundamental prin-
ciples that must be given proper at
tenti0n. The routing or location OF
any propOseu road is the first thing
to be considered. In addition to the
Typographical features of the country
through which the road may be built:
that is, other things being equal,
choose that route which will serve the
greatest number, not only at the pres
ent time, for it is necessary to anti
cipate in measure the requirements
of coming years.
SECTION LINES NOT IDEAL
Roads in North Dakota ordinarily
follow section lines, in a great many
instances to the detriment Of the
road. No road should ever be butt
where it is not possible to secure rea-
sonable grades, and no grade on any
road should exceed more than six or
seven per cent. Roads built where
following the section lines requires
deep cutting should be located else.
where, even though cutting might re-
suit in reasonable grades, since such
cuts are almost certain to be impas-
sable during winter months when fill
ed with snow. 1t is generally not
further around a hill than it is over
it and the advantage always lies with
the road around the hill.
Proper attention to the location of
the roads at the present time means
much in future years. There will
come time in North Dakota when
permanent and hard surfaced roads |
will be constructed. When that time
comes much of the work done on
properly located road will be a gain,
while all that is done on an improp-
erly located road will be lost. In 10
eating a road keep in mind the eff
cheney of the road and so locate it as
to secure road with the least num-
Der of grades.
Drainage is another important mat
ter, often overlooked. A road must
be crowned in such manner that wa
ter will not stand in the center, and
bitches must be sufficient to carry
the water away, or if this is not pos
sible, due to the rolling character of
the land, in low places, the grade
must be built to a sufficient height
above the water to render the road
bed secure The surface of the road
should not be less than Ne to two
feet above the point where water may
stand. In soils that are inclined to
wash easily care must be taken to
protect the roads. An expensive road
through cut or on a side hill may
be seriously injured and require ex-
pensive repair work if the bitches are
not properly protected, either by stone
or with wooden or concrete dams at
short intervals.
a BRIDGES GET HALF
The building of culverts and bridges
annually requires about half Of the
money available for road purposes in
the various counties.
More than 100000 will be spent on
bridges and culverts this year. In
common with other states and per-
haps largely through the force of ne
cessity, many poor bridges and worth
less culverts have been installed.
Throughout the larger portion of the
state excellent concrete materials are
available Concrete culverts and short
span bridges are easily built and re-
quire no maintenance, and wherever
possible concrete could be used. HOW
ever, it should only be used VIII the
greatest care and under competent in
spection. The state engineers office
is in a position to furnish plans and
specifications for work of this kind.
The character OF the material enter
ing into concrete work is of vital i'm
portance. Fresh cement of stand
ard make is necessary, sand and
gravel must be of the best, and the
placing of the reinforcing bars must
be done accurately in accordance with
the plans. Concrete alone should be
used for bridge abutments and bridge
abutments and bridge floors. even
though it may not be used for the
structure itself. The placing OF
bridges on any other than reinforced
or gravity concrete abutments is evil