The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1916-10-04
SOUTH SHOULD BUILD
H.. ONLY STANDARD ROADS
Not Wider and More Costly Roads
Needed 50 Much as Roads of a
Single Instead of Many Types.

the need and the opportunity for i'm.
proving Virginia's roads marched to-
gether, that time is now" This de-
claration by the Richmond Times
Dispatch applies as well to other
southern states. it also suggests the
way in which the south's road i'm
provement program should be attack
led. - ..''.t.. 10, = II & - &
Just as cities in the west profited
by the mistakes Of the older cities
lin the east, and built broader streets
looking to- future as well as imme-
date: traffic requirements, so the
south should profit by the mistakes
of the thickly populated northern
states and adopt standard type Of
lroad. This does not mean wider and
more costly roads, as in the case Of
streets, but roads Of. 9 single stand
lard. type as s. opposed TO the many and
Unsatisfactory types found through
Tout the. north. ..>,.' y Y = :: i
Highway engineers are unanimous
II agree that successful road-build;;
ling must include a stable foundation
and 8 wearing surface suited to all
types Of, traffic and involving low
maintenance charges. There are
Ijust two types Of roads within the
resources Of prosperous communi-
ties which can be 20 combined as to
meet these requirements and at q
[cost not exceeding that paid FOR these
highways when built as separate or
distinct types. They are the asphalt
macadam road and the concrete road
| which are cheaper, stronger and more
satisfactory. when properly combined
il the form of q concrete foundation
and a natural asphalt naacadafn wear
ling surface. 2, 80. g.. .. - +, -
Where road is Of the asphalt
macadam type, any defect in the
foundation causes trouble. When
roads are built Of concrete through
ont any neglect or carelessness in
workmanship is fatal. Saturation and
subsequent drying of slabs means ex-
pansion and contraction inviting up
heaval and disintegration.
- Resilient and Elastic.
But when concrete Is used as a
Foundation. the asphalt 'macadam
wearing surface: acts as a watef-
shedding material, keeping condi-
tions more constant both as to moist
ure, and temperature changes. The
unyieldirg concrete in turn keeps the
asphalt macadam wearing surface
from breaking down. Furthermore,
the latter. imparts to the road the
resiliency or elasticity required for
both horse and motor traffic.
This type of road has been thor
oughly tested on city streets, sub
kurban highways, park drives and
Ecountry roads. Costs have ranged
between 1850 to .$13,600 per mile
for roads 16 feet in width. Philadel-
phia built sections Of her. great
northeast boulevard in this way at
lower cost than some states have
paid for water-bound macadam. The
Taxpayers of Monroe County, Michi-
gan, are building 40 miles of the
type, the concrete foundation includ-
|ing six-inch concrete curbs between
which will be placed two-inch wear
ing surface of natural asphalt maca-
kdam., -. .- :~. .../
Roads of this type running from
city to city and state to state would
profit the south far beyond anything
she can hope to achieve by building
roads in the customary hit-or-miss
fashion.
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