Evening star., 1918-07-07
TRUCKS MAGNIFY
ROAD PROBLEMS
Widening Of Way and Hard
ening of Bed Made
Necessary.
USE IS GROWING DAILY

A rev years ago Sho po'o
automobile presented a new problem
to the highway engineers IN charge
of road construction. says the Ne"
York Times. To an appreciaole eA-
tent that has been met, but within
the last few months road problems
have been presented in far more
serious manner through the opera
tion of thousands of motor trucks
for government and commercial uses.
Some features Of this problem. in
its relation to the Importance OF good
roads, If the transportation needs OF
the country are to be sustained, were
presented by George C. Diehl OF suf-
falo. chairman of the good roads COM
mittee of the American Automobile
Association, at the recent meeting OF
the directors in Atlantic City.
Wider Roadway, Harder Bed.
.The main road across the state OF
New York" said Mr.. Diehl. must De
wtdened to at least twenty-four feet,
at present being hard-surfaced road
VARYING from twelve to sixteen feet
IN width. The type of construction
must either be of reinforced concrete
or block pavement. The macadam
and bituminous sections will not be
adequate for the carrying OF the
enormous amount of traffic.
"There are about five million pas
xsenger motor vehicles, having pas
senger mileage in excess of all pas,
senger cars on all the steam ano
necessary to drive over one of the
main thoroUghfareS on pleasant
Saturday or Sunday to realize what
this vast number of motor vehicles
about half a million motor trucks.
'In the comparatively near future 1t
is not at all unlikely that the number
of motor trucks will exceed the mum
ber Of passenger cars. The trucks
will be used not one or two days. but
on nll six of the week days. and unless
provision is made for wider and more
durable roads, passenger traffic on the
main highways will not only be seri-
ously restricted, but in many instances
practically abolished.
During the last week passenger
motor vehicle. in making It's daily trip
Of $50 miles. overlook on crowded
thoroughfare three motor truck con-
voys, with the result that the pas
.senger vehicle arrived at Its destina-
tion over six hours late.
"It would be impossible for the
great Lake Shore railroad to operate
its enormous freight and passenger
business over two tracks. 1t will be
equally impossible to operate pas
senger and freight motor vehicles over
roads with hard surface only sixteen
feet wide.
Other Important Thoroughfares.
"The more important roads might
be increased in width by the abolition
Of the deep bitches and the construc-
1F III or fnr drc NJ
This would not only add to the ap-
. pearance of the highway. but would
tend to reduce the appalling number
of accidents which occur SO frequently
when the highways are crowded. On
such days it is altogether likely that
from twelve to fifteen million people
are on the highways. one-seventh.
possibly Of the total population Of
the United States"
Mr.. Diehl also mentioned the urgent
need of stronger and wider bridges.
In many states bridge building and
authorities, and an entire change Of
fiscal policy Is necessary to attain
the most satisfactory results in bridge
Improvement. That the bridge prob
lem Is a serious one may be Judged
from the fact that one section of an
long would require. said Mr.. Diehl.
an expenditure of practically SIS, ,oo0,-
900 for serviceable bridges.
TN many states" added Mr.. Diehl,
'.the trunk lines have been badly in
jured through the augmented tonnage.
and every effort has been made to
urge upon the authorities the neces-
sity of added expenditures for main
tenance. The main highway across
the state OF New York from Buffalo
to New York city utterly failed under
the heavy traffic during the spring
months. where the sub-base and the
highway itself were weakened
through the heavy rains and the frost
1saving the ground.
1.-THE problem of both maintenance
and construction ia becoming harder
70 solve by reason of the multiplying
Members Of motor trucks which are
using the public highways. It ia said
that over 10000 war trucks will be
delivered to the Atlantic seaboard te-
fore September l, and this Is but a
small fraction Of the traffic which the