Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-11-19
A LINK IN OCEAN
TO OCEAN HIGHWAY
Ozark Trail Is Part of a
Comprehensive Plan for
Better Roads.
BY w. II. HARVEY

president ozark Trails ASSN
We shall expect for our main road
east and west better construction
than we would expect Tor our laterais
1t will be a road OF national import
ance, rejecting, if built right great
credit to the states through which it
passes. We cannot afford to skimp 1t.
The right-of-way should be ample
to take care of all difficulties rhe
width of the grade, including bitches,
we think should be about "a feet. ON
forty-foot right-of-way this would
leave three feet for BERN on each
! side. The width of tae grade, how
ever, will vary according to circum-
stances. A fill may require more and
a cut less.
Drainage is most important and
sufficient height should be given to
the roadbed to secure this Erosion
and friction in time wears down a
roadbed, and If not sufficiently ole-
waited to begin with. it may, in time,
become so low as to prevent drain
age bitches out through fields are
often necessary to carry the water
away from the road.
There is some model road grading
at Jones City. in Oklahoma county,
Okla, extending west several miles,
and I will ask those travelling that
way to notice 1t.
Right-of-Way
At a meeting in Washington, held
August 16, 1916, called by the director
of public roads, for a conference to
discuss tentative rules to apply under
the federal road act. officials of many
states gathered. One subject dis
cussed, but not agreed on at present,
was the width of the right-of-way on
roads that are to be improved by fed
eral aid. The report says: 'The
engineers present generally favored a
wide right -of-way, from sixty to one
hundred feet, allowing plenty of
room for tho construction of wide
roadways in the future. II 1t should
be found that increased width is
necessary, and also to provide for
ample side drainage"
AS we shall seek federal aid in the
future in the perfection and mainte-
nance of our main line | advise not
| less than fifty or siXty-foot right-of-
| way less width for short distances
would be accepted, pending tie time
necessary to settle this matter.
We shall leXpect all of our main line
| to be above high water, and thus be
dependable at all times. Concrete
culverts only will answer. We would
like to have curve corners at all
| IlBnl tHIHo.
Standard Grades.
We do not wish to have any grades
more than per cent feet in 100
| feet, but IL special difficulties exist
this most necessary requirement may
be temporarily waived in some cases
We want it hard surfaced. We rec
ommend mountain chats and creek
gravel These usually have enough
clay to act as binder. and make The
| best common hard surface road.
Crushed rock Is good, but in time ii
becomes lumpy, with holes In it, max
ing 1t necessary to finally put gravel
or chats on.
Sand and clay. in the proportion OF
about 30 per cent clay and 10 per
cent sand, properly mixed, makes q
good hard surfaced road. Improperly
mixed, it makes bad road WITH
about the proper proportion of claS
and sand on the road. plows and har-
rows should be used to properly mis-
1t when dry. and again plowed and
narrowed when wet: then crowned
with the grader and dragged. nos'
excellent hard surfaced road is made
costing little for maintenance, and
economically repaired. AS cement Is
the binder in concrete, clay Is the
binder in this instance; and in the
| latter case, aSH III lTe loIIilcT. u SooN
mixture is Indispensable. In thick
ness II should be as much as IL inches
loss will do where the foundation IL
firm.
Organization.
Tho best results will be obtained
where there r. the best organization
and honest endeavor. The sources o.
aid in constructing highways are vol
untary contributions Of labor ant
money: and money appropriated b!
county and township authorities
Upon these we must rely to make oul
link in this great transcontinenta
road. And when this has been accom-
CONTINUED on PAGE TWO