Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1918-04-12
MAINTENANCE OF THE STATE
TRUNK HIGHWAY SYSTEM
By VIM SHERLOCK

The roads on the State Trunk High
way System in this comfy have already
been laid out and they are familiar to
the public through legal description
of them published in the county news
papers. The preliminary official map
is on file in the office of the County
Highway Commissioners
The total mileage of the State High
way System in the state is 1888 38. of
this, "a IL miles lie in this county
The two features that will be most
noticeable to the public when active
work is in progress will be the patrol
maintenance and the standardized road
marking, Firstly as to the mainte-
nance:
1t is admitted by everybody who has
any hing to do with road work that the
only system of maintaining roads,
which means keeping the roads in con-
dition after they are built, is by patrol
maintenance The tendency under the
old system was to build road and af-
ter two or three years, when it was
badly worn out, to repair it, which
meant in good measure reconstruct
it. This in turn meant that before its
reconstruction it Was very poor road
to carry the traffic and it further meant
That the entire system after May LIST,
whether previously improved or not,
must be adequately maintained.
The state has been divided into eight
divisions with Division Engineer in
ton eight to eleven counties. In each
division there will be Division Main
tenance Engineer especially in charge
of maintenance in his division The
County State Road and Bridge commit
tee will have general charge of plan
ming the maintenance in the county.
The County Highway Commissioner
will have direct charge of the troll
men in each county.
big item of expense for reconstruct
ton.
Th m rdern theory of maintenance is
that a stitch in time saves nine; and
that to maintain road you must keep
at it constantly and make repairs as
soon as weakness appears. This not
only gives you better road, but it
saves money. 1t operates like the Sec
tionsystem on railroads-men in charge
of sections devoting their whole time
to keeping them in repair.
Patrol maintenance will be placed on
all the State Trunk Highways and the
task is big one. The law provides
that the entire system after May 1st,
whether previously improved or not,
must be adequately maintained.
The state has been divided into eight
divisions with Division Engineer in
charge of each, having in his jurisdic-
ton eight to eleven counties In each
division there will be a Division Main
tenance Engineer especially IN charge
OF maintenance in his division. The
County State Road and Bridge COM
III luce WI nave SonCldl CHdi &c VI
planning the maintenance in the coun-
ty The Coun y Highway Commission
er will have direct charge of the patrol
men in each county.
Each county has been divided into
patrol sections and in many counties
the patrolmen have been selected. The
plan is to get good, substantial, reliable
men and they will be paid from S110 to
$135 per month, depending upon the
mileage to be taken care of, the condi-
ton of the road. the volume of traffic,
etc.
Certain sections of road are in such
condition, largely through the lack of
irainage, that they must be graded
and the bitches opened before patrol
maintenance can be placed on them.
To take care of these sections, gang
maintenance will be put on early in
the spring with the necessary heavy
machinery furnished by the county and
the roads will be graded and put in
condition for the patrOmen. Certain
sections of road will require resurfac-
ng or repairing by adding new mater
laI, which will also be done by the |
ang maintenance crew. Many of the
counties having a large mileage of
stone or gravel roads which require
luminous treatment have appropriate
d additional funds for this purpose |
and the oiling gang will do most of the
work..
Next article-The System of Patrol
Maintenance