Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-17
Road Construction and Military
Roads

The state highway department is in re-
ceipt of a correspondence between Hon.
Newton D. Baker secretary Of war. and
Hon .. F. Houston, secretary of agri-
culture, relating to the construction of
roads and particularly so called military
roads: The letter Of Sec. Baker is as
follows:
referring to the request contained in
your letters OF recent date that the war
department make known the needs Of the
military situation in respect to the con-
struction of roads with moneys appro-
priated by the federal post road act Of
July 18th, 1916, 1 have the honor to make
the following recommendations
First-Federal aid under the act above
mentioned should. in general, be granted
only for roads such as can be designated
through roads-that is. roads leading
from one center Of population or COM
merce to another. Assistance in build
ing branch roads for automobiles or
tourists to visit points Of scenic or his
torical interest does not appear war
ranted when there Is still such a pressing
need of q good network of roads in most
cf the states.
Second-The War Department recoe-
niZed cretain areas as more likely TO be
the theater Of military operations than
other parts Of the country. Every effort
should be made to persuade the State
road commissions to complete the net
work Of through roads within these
areas and federal aid should not be
granted unless these roads conform In
CONSTRUCTION to the needs OF the mill
tary transportation likely TO be used In
the zone o fthe advance.
The areas in question are;
90 The area about Long Island, in
Guiding most OF the states of Rhode
Island. Maine. New Hampshire. Vermont.
Maesa chusetts, Connecticut and New
York
% The area about Chesapeake Bay,
Including much Of the states Of New Jer-
Fey. pennsylvania. Maryland. Virginia,
North Carolina and Delaware.
(c) The Pacific coast area, including
California. Oregon and Washington
ID The Mexican border including the
southern parts of the states Of Texas,
New Mexico. Arizona and California.
(e) The Great Lakes area. including
the states of Ohio. Indiana Michigan,
Illinois and parts OF Wisconsin and Min
nesota.
The following requirements as to con-
struction within the areas mentioned are
recommended: % Roads to have "A
smooth. hard surface of broken stone Or
pavement not less than % feet in width
and capable Of supporting the loads here
after specified for bridges; f2) grades not
to exceed five per cent, except for short
distances 0ess than 30 yards) where they
shall not exceed 10 per cent; (3) bridges
to be Of iron or masonry and of type 10
support loads oS a six-inch howitzer (2Wl
pounds on front wheels and $500 pounds
on rear wheels, distance between axles
IL feet. width Of wheel track I'VE feet
or n three ton truck loaded fS010 pounds
on front wheels. 5000 pounds on rear
wheels. distance between axles about 10
feet. width between wheels center to
center about five feet)
In billy country. where road founda-
tons are necessarily hardpan or rock. the
Importance OF ARTIFICIAL surfacing is less
important than the completion of a we'll
drained roadbed Joining the roads in the
adjacent valleys; and II therefore recon-
mended. that in such cases the compile
ton OF an unsurfaced graded road be
completed. before the requirement as TO
artificial surface Is enforced
In general the projects already sub
mitted by State road commissions comply
with the frst military requirements, as
stated above and It Is believed that the
Department OF Agriculture would meet
with little or no opposition In enforcing
them as recommended.