Newark post., 1917-11-28


appalling.
81 am only going to take six
minutes of your time today and in
these six minutes bring out two
points in connection with road
building | consider most important
and in far too many instances,
neglected.
"We are building roads more in
telligently each year but as yet are
far from having the satisfactory
road.
81 want to impress on all here
today, and in order that it will be
impressed, will repeat more than
once, the most important item of
new or about to be improved
road, is it's location. This is the
only thing connected with a road
that can possibly be permanent
it, above all, should be right. Too
many road engineers, commission
ers and those who are in a position
to do what is best, ignore or only
touch lightly on this very import
ant point.
"The principle governing the To-
cation of any road should be based
on the axiom that "A straight line
is the shortest distance between
two points, and only vary this
where the geography Of the coun-
try makes wise and practical rea-
son for changing.
"The history of railroads, canals
and highways for vehicular travel
shows that wherever it can be
done, these arteries of commerce
are Strengthened
"The alignment is more essen,
tial than the grade today, but
grade must also be kept in mind
''In many of our States, in fact
in all the States that l have visited
and looked into roads, particular.
ly in the East, the improved roads
are far from the axiom and &C.
cidents have occurred on the SHARP
and oftimes useless curves, -
curves that could have been easily
avoided, making the road not only
much safer but shorter, and there
fore, mere economical to main
tain.
II know of a dozen instance!
where the mileage between tive
towns by road is fifty miles and i
could be reduced to forty or forty
, five miles. This means not only ;
saving of five or ten miles in con
? structive cost (Which cost is com
paratively negligible), but i
| means 10 percent to 20 percen
more maintenance cost for years t
come, say 100 years, or 1000 per
: cent or 1000 percent wasted, an
r this again becomes a small item j
: the road is much travelled, Whe
+ the cost of horsepower (animal o
/ machine) and wear and tear o
! vehicles are considered, ignorin
t waste to our people, caused b
4 avoiding going through som
mans farm or field because h
e might feel hurt, we can but com
= to the conclusion that as road er
e gineer or commissioner or in an
other position of authority, W
e must advocate and fight for
r straight line or resign from offic
e $50 | repeat and urge on ever!
r one having to do with the locatio
or Improvement of roads, that the
i insist and continue to insist thu
e as the only known possible pc,
: manent thing about road toda
r is the location, to at least get thu
right, and in deciding that, kee
e the maxim or axiom before yo
d that "A straight line is the shorte
n distance between two points,
e Another very important poll
e is maintenance or up-keep. We al
e spending millions and in a fe
e years it will be-billions of dollal
h on roads and in many instance
l. not making provision for up-kee
d when it could, in many, if not a,
G instances, be done on sure al
= business-like plan.
"When it has been decided |
E. the proper authorities to build
S, improve a highway, let the tow
Il ship, county, State or natio
n whichever is going to do the wor
l. acquire 100 or 200 feet mo
d ground than is needed on one
m both sides of the road, this ext
land to be bought by and belor
to the township, county, State