The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-05-23
INFLUENCE Of LOCAL
CONDITIONS ON COST
OF Roads-Rodman Wiley, Com
missioner OF Public Roads,
Explains the Matter.

Many people seem to think tha
any type of road should cost th'
same amount of money no matter
what conditions are encountered oil
where the road is located.
Some men when estimating tho
cost of construction of a road in or
der to determine whether the coun.
ty will have sufficient funds to con-
struct a certain type, take the av-
erage cost of construction Of that
type in some locality where condi-
tons are different and when they
find the road costs more than they
had estimated, blame the engineer
and in a number of cases do their
utmost to have him discharged.
Seldom do such persons stop to
think that conditions ARE not the
same in all counties and seldom
alike in any two counties. The
number of cubic yards of excavation
on one road may be double that on
another in the same county, much
less in any other county. More
drainage structures will most likely
have to be built on one road than
On another, the material for sur
facing the road might have to be
shipped into the county, whereas
quarries exist along the proposed
road in some other locality, material
might also have to be hauled farth-
err and water with which to sprinkle
the road might not be so plentiful.
Tie amount of metal required for
any two roads is not the same, la
Dor conditions, cost of teams, dis
tance of work from railroad, etc.
All influence prices, likewise the
cost of work.
A well located road can be re-
built, resurfaced and maintained at
far less cost per mile than a poor
" located road. If the well located
road has been properly graded and
the money expended for grading rep
resents permanent Improvement
and the cost of grading will be elm
mated in the cost of resurfacing or
rebuilding. If drainage structures
of permanent type and sufficient
size have been provided, the cost is
again reduced. 1t should not be
difficult to understand why the
same type of road and the same
width of metal surfGcing in aroth
err locality may cost more per miles.
The cost of any road will largely
depend upon the following condi-
tons:
FIRST-Traffic, type, width.
SECOND-EXcavation and drain
age requirements.
Notwithstanding of materials
for construction.
FOURTH-Labor conditions and
distance from transportation facili-
ties. i = s@, -" -
Rarely, II ever, have all these
been identical on any two
roads or even two consecutive sec
lions Of one road. Comparison of
costs per mile on total length of
roads may lead to faulty conclu-
sions and worthless cost data.
If any man will carefully consider
the cost of several miles of road, he
will find that no two miles will be
equal. This is not only true of
roads built in adjoining counties,
but is also true when the cOnstruc-
tion considered is all on the same
road or roads in the same county.
Every mile of interurban or rail
road line does not cost the same
and the same statement applies
equally to roads. Therefore, when
speaking about the cost of any road
the various items which enter into
it's cost must be reckoned, excava-
ton to be estimated at prevailing
prices in that territory, all culverts
and bridges included, and finally
the cost of surfacing, giving due
tn the availability of
stone. water. labor conditions, ETC..
mand a final summation Of all ele-
ments which enter into the cost of
the road, will give a true estimate
and that is the only way any def
mite idea can be gained.
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