South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-24
MANY ROADWAYS
BUILT THIS YEAR
Nearly Five Million Square
Yards or SCI Miles Con-
StruCted by u. S.

Nearly 5000, 600 square yards of
roadway, the equivalent of 561.9
miles of road i feet wide, were
constructed under the supervision OF
federal road specialists during the
last fiscal year, according TO the an
rual report Of the office of public
roads and rural engineering of the
department, just issued. This is
more than double the mileage SO
constructed in previous years. The
roads constructed under supervision
of the office include experimental
roads, post roads. county roads, and
reads i'm national parks and forests.
The expenditures OF the office for
this purpose were chiefly for en-
cheering services and supervision,
the communities, except in the case
of forest and park roads, meeting
the bulk Of the costs for material
and construction.
A special appropriation was made
for the construction of the post
roads in the postotfice appropriation
bill of 1912. Eight of the II post
road projects remaining at the be-
ginning of the last fiscal year were
completed by the end of the year,
bringing the mileage Of the COM
pleted roads under this special pro-
ject 10 1916. Three OF the original
II projects, aggregating 59.l7 miles
in length, remained uncOmpleted at
the end Of the year. The eight pro-
jects completed are IN seven states
and traverse Is counties.
The office made studies and rec
concentrations for improving the
complete road systems of 80 coun-
ties in a number of states, assigned
engineers to inspect specific roads
and advise as to their treatment in
1I3 communities, and especially as
signed seveH engineers to assist state
departments of roads and other
state agencies dealing with roads
and road materials.
Maintenance Work
The demonstration maintenance
work undertaken in 1914 on a
through route from Washington 10
Atlanta was continued during the
year, the mileage under supervision
increasing from 724 70 SIC. The
cumulative effect Of continuous
maintenance, says the report, has
been demonstrated by the fact that
from March Is 20 the end Of the
fiscal year, June 30, 1916, the road
was not closed 10 traffic at any
point.
In the national parks and nation
IL Q
struction on approximately 10
miles Of road. Of which about 20
miles were completed. one Of the
roads under construction-the Esca-
lante- Winder road in the Powell
National forest. Utah-will open up
communication with settlement in
the valley Of the upper Colorado
river which has heretofore been
practically cut of from the rest OF
the world
The economic work Of gathering
road statistics and making studies Of
traffic, road costs. and benefits was
/ continued by the office. Numerous
/ tests and much research work in re-
T Eard 10 road materials were con-
Quoted
The office carried on a number Of
+ Investigations in regard 20 irrigation
+ in cooperation with states. agricul-
tural experiment stations and other
/ agencies. chiefly in the west. Drain
age Investigations were conducted
both in the irrigated and humid
F regions
In its rural engineering work the
office planned water-supply systems
and sanitary systems. and prepared
I plans for a southern farmhouse
three farm houses suited 20 north
ern conditions. barns. cOrncri0s
stables. machinery sheds. etc. The
office also furnished information II
regard 20 electric lighting and power
plants for farm refrigeratlng sys
tens heating plants, windmill in
stallatiOns. etc.