Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-01
MODELLING HIGHWAYS
ALSO IS WAR MEASURE
.s,,. lief From Congestion on
Railways.
INCREASE IN MOTOR TRUCKING
Maintenance Under Such Traffic Will
Call for Highest Skill and Good
Judgment-No Generally .AppIi-
~ cable Rule Can BE Given.

WASHINGTON, June 3o.-At the
present time the railways in some
paris-of-the country are so conscsted
that it is impracticable to handle
local freight. This condition will con-
tinue for some time, If the announce
mcnts by railway officials are reliable
forecasts. In the r~icinit of i'm
~portant railway centers this
ton is particularly marked, because
the facilities are taxed so heavily for
through shipments that the local de-
mands are very far from being met.
It is not surprising, therefore, that
the roads arc being considered very
seriously in many places rs the best
relief from the serious interference
with commercial and industrial ac-
sivities. Before the year is over. il is
probable that motor trucking on
suburban and main roads will de-
Telop far beyond anything expected
six months ago.
HI maintenance of these roads I'M
aer,such traffic will call for the highest
Ikilt and good judgment. and already
It has been suggested in some places
hat 1T will be desirable to restrict
the Trucking to certain roads, and
keep Il off those which are not sur
laced to carry it properly. Other sug-
sestions are to maintain TO a much
lower standard a durable, rough sur
facing, free from ruts and holes, like
that employed on the new military
roads OF France. Still other sueges-
lions are to concentrate all the new
construction and reconstruction on
loads OF high grade, suitable for both
.r,,,;o- n~1 1frGtnr cnrx.iNo
The fact is. there is no generally
applicable rule to overn such work.
and the Improvement best for one
locality may not be desirable for an
,ther. Some kind of improvement
must be made in very many places.
however, il theimotor truck is to come
20 the relief of the tovcrcrowded rail-
ways, and the way to determine what
hall be done is to ascertain where
trucks must be run to meet best the
demands for better transportation and
hen improve the roads SO they Will
ierve this purpose
1t Is by nc means certain, without
considerable study, that heavy trucks
will be used extensively; fvc-ton
trucks are not increasing in general
.avor. while lighter sizes are growing
N popularity. y truck weighing,
oaded. not Over three tons and NOV
nE at a speed of eighteen miles an
iour. is nc more destructive to n road,
TO far rs is known now. than n heavy
:ourinG car driven at a speed Of thirty
niles. This is indicated by Pro-
lessor Kennelly's experiments on roads
lear Boston which showed that the
,pecd had a very great influence on
he resistance of n road to travel. and
consequently on the destructive effect
II a vehicle on the road. provided the
'oad was strong enough to carry the
Dads without breaking through.
Road BUILDERS NOW
FAVOR SMALL CONTRACTS
AS a result of the present scarcity
" labor in some parts of the coun-
ry and the difficulty in securing
prompt deliveries Of road materials.
I. marked change has developed in the
Usual practice in letting contracts for
important road improvements. Until
his year it was considered best to
ward contracts in long scctions, so
hat a large organization with an-ex-
,ensive plant would find the work
attractive. In road construction a
rained organization and ample me
;hanical equipm rat arcineeded to per-
orni the work mt minimum expense
n a satisfactory manner. and these