Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-10

Iii the foundations are even, well graded
unbrokcn and finn, the existing surface
should be removed and repaved by n
modern asphalt surface and binder coat
If, however, the foundations are uneven,
settled and broken then the entire exist
ing paving should be removed and re
paved an asphalt paving on SIX inch
concrete base. Beyond the Boulevard
the Concord Pike was found to be a good
and firm road with perfect surface and
solid base
In the eastern section OF tho city,
French street, Sixth street, cast from
Spruce, portions of Market street were
found to he well paved and IN admirable
condition Other streets as Nandcver
avenue, Seventh, Eighth, and Hcaid
streets, East Fourth and Fifth street
either would need extensive repairs
and maintenance or preferably repaving-
Cavities and depressions oil twenty to
forty square feet and six inches III depth
were not unusual.
The streets in this location were
generally of the old type OF paving
either macadam, granite block, or brick,
uneven because either placed originally
with an insuihccntlv heavy haso or
without bases or foundations either OF
stone or concrete.
The results Of tins investigation of
the surface condition of n number ct the
CITY streets show oonclusivelv that neceA-
sity Of immediate repavlng of continuous
rca,irfacing sections Of streets. of extensive
repairing both to surfaces and to founda-
tions and of continuous maintenance.
The heavy trucking traffic inaug,n rated
some wears ago, but greatly intensified
e al
pprtation has made the upkeep of the
road an important element IN the national
defence This heavy trucking has shown
the failure of light roads and Increased
the maintenance Of heavy roads and IL
TODAY Of Importance III determining the
character of both new and repaired high
WAYS
I,ccause Of this IL il recommended
herewith that these roads of Wilmington
"a Tho, boulevard Delaware avenue, and
those other streets undergoing con
tinuous heavy traffic he rebuilt or re-
naircd as ~ necessary. with concrete
foundations of minimum six inch thick
ness Further. that the wearing coat,
whether of granite brick. or asphalt. ho
hoavy and under constant supCr vrion
after construction
naresi or new roads will keep the main
tenancn charge NJ ~ minimum. while a
neglected supervision under the present
heavy traffic not only greatly lnCrcasoz
the cost OF repairs hut ofttImca neoessi-
tatcs the reconstruction Of the entire
roadway
It would l,c desirable from y purely
engineering viewpoint tn reconstruct al
cxlstine roads of granite block and brick,
IN service under relatively light traihc,
resting on clnder foundations hv rcmov
ing the present road and placing concrete
base with new block TINS however, Is not
recommended on streets where there ls
relatively light traffic because of the
governmental need for labor and ma
tcrlal
These roads can be repaired nv rc
moving sections Of the block. placing
the foundation Of cinicrs thoroughly
taInped and replacing the old block
This method Of repairing docs not give
q perfect result but Il Is cheap and with
occasional maintenance should mcot tho
present demands
Mn rIzECk's REPORT.
Stanley Il pIzcck's review ct thr
street subject was as follows
There are several points in counec-
ton with this Voters \on-fartlsau
leagues investigation Of The c,tv streets
which need PLAIN and not scientific speak
INC to make the proposition PLAINLY
known The writer. accompanied by
Carroll " Simon at tho noted consult
ing engineering firm Of ihlladciphIA
STUDIED the streets and their needs from
a purely scientific standpoint. Both -
these men therefore locke over the Coudl-
tion Of tho streets and arrived NJ certain
conclusions. which. by the WAY. II would
have been Irlst rs easy fnr any gentlemen
In this audience To have arrived at
The first trip took rs up Delaware
avenue. that Rocky Road that leads to
Dublin perhaps Starting az " ashing.
ton street there were many holes OF q
good size along the tracks for more than q
block. In front Of the High School there
we're several big and dangerous depres-
SONS, and So il kept mp until the hrck
paving was reached II WAS considerably
better than the old torn-up and dIsrepu-
table looking asphalt or whatever YOU wish
Ia call the concoctlon that the Street and
Sewer Department strove TO put on the
ton of the street Delaware avenue Is
beyond q doubt entirely unfit To be r.
paired but should be entirely and wholly
rcpaved with the latest Inventions IN
road work II, as a street and sewer
employe said. there Is man unnamed
who is willing to pay for part OF the re
pairs of this avenue, II seems to us cruel
that for the faint ideas thus man has. the
whole city and thousands of visitors daily
should be lncunvcnlenced and made to
suffer Just to please the fancies of an al
ready fanclful man. What should he
done Is an immediate attention to the
worst and one of the most widely used
streets IN the CITY, 10 please thousands Of
users. and not the whIm OF one lone man,
This is merely an opinion about Delaware
avenue. However. let US take up the
question Of another widely known and
considerably used street. especially by
automobllsts | am speaking about
automobiles now because almost every
one. whether rich or poor, mas chance
NOWADAYS to 20 out hiding now and then
in either his Packard or Pierce-Arrow or if
not flush, there is always the man who viii
loudly blow his klaxon on his little utney
runabout And this question of better
streets appeals Just as much and perhaps
more To the man who can afford to run
the jitney than the man who can sport q
Packard because after all, lItney
shakes and takes mudhoies IN rather
jerFy fashion and not ~ well as big, heavy
cars of the better type. And 50 we. TO
make the town complete, started up the
Boulevard which today appeared some
what better as nearly the whole force Of
the Street and Sewer Department APP
paratus and all, were out on the Boule-
ward making repairs, or digging the
mudholes and filling them with broken
stuff and covering those holes with a sort