Evening journal., 1918-01-07

burdening the state at the outset viii
a high road maintenance. This nlan-
tenance cost Of 500 could be used in
floating and paying of approximately
$4,000 bonds which at the present time
would undoubtedly pay for the re-
construction Of many Of these improved
macadam roads.
The State Highway Act provides fol
the construction or "econstructiou TO
be paid by money raised by bonds, but
that maintenance mast be paid from
direct revenue. After these improved
roads are reconstructed the yearly
maintenance would be considerably less
and the public would have the use Of d
wider reconstructed road Of a high y
tS pc than the present roads; Therefore
it would seem advantageous. from the
standpoint of both economy and pub
lie service, 10 take over roads for con
structiOn or reconstruction only, at
least during the first period.
New Castle County.
The first roads of d state highway
system in the northern part Of New
Castle County should be laid out radi-
ally from Wilmington. South Of the
Wilmington-Summ Bridge Road the
Trunk Line system should be satisfac-
tory for the present. The attached map
shows the approximate location Of the
first roads that should be considered
as State Highways.
The traffic records showing The ton
mage indicate that the Wilmington
Philadelphia Pike is one Of the heaviest
Travelled roads in the State. The pave
ment on this road at the present time
Is a macadcm road that has been con-
structed for some years and is not
capable Of withstanding, without eX-
cessive maintenance, the present day
traffic demands. The maintenance Of This
road is becoming very costly and will
continue to be. costly II this road is
constructed with anything except "a
high class Of construction. This is one
Of the most important roads Of the
state and should be one Of the first
to be considered as a State highway.
Traffic records show that the next
heaviest Travelled road leading from
Wilmington is The Kennett Pike. This
is a toll road and should be treated as
a special case 70 is however one of
the early roads that should be taken
over as a state highway
The traffic records show that the re-
mainder Of the radial roads leading
from Wilmington, with the exception of
the New Castle and Flsmere Roads,
carry about the same amount Of trar-
/ flc. These are the Concord Pike, Ian
caster pike. Newport Pike. State Road
7 the New Castle Road carries less traffic
than the above mentioned roads.
/ At the present time the New Castle
County Levy Court has either under
contract or consideration the Elsmere
Road leading from Wilmington 10 the
/ Maryland Line by way Of Marshallton
and Newark. therefore this road need
not be considered at this time.
/ 4 portion Of the Concord Pike has
recently been constructed Of a high
class Of pavement by the New Castle
/ Levy Court. North OF this pavement
/ for a distance Of approximately two
miles, Is n road which is in poor con-
dition. From this point TO the Penn
sylyania Line the road is in good CON
dition This intervening distance Of
approximately two miles should be
/ constructed by the State at a time when
/ u viii come in order Of its Importance
The Lancaster and Newport Pixies
have approximately tie same amount
Of traffic and will eventually serve as
important roads in the State Highway
System. These also should be con
structed or reconstructed in order OF
their Importance.
The state Road leading south from
/ Wilmington as far as Red Lion has
already been considered as a part 0f
the dupont project, and therefore il
need not be considered in this part Of
the report. The road between Whining
ton and New Castle should be con
structed or reconstructed i'm order Of
its importance
At the present time during the rainy
season, practically all OF the traffic
from Wilmington down the State goes
by way Of the state Road to Tybout' s
Corner and then follows the River Road
through ST Georges and Odessa tO
smyrna. 4 large section Of the River
Road is now in comparatively good
/ condition. and if for the present some
Of the traffic over this road could De-
turned off and directed over the west
crn road by way Of Niddletown, tho
wear and tear on The roads would be
divided and the total maintenance on
both greatly reduced.
/ II road can be maintained IN q good
condition that makes it more substan-
tial than the demands Of traffic, the
maintenance win be considerably less
than if a road is taxed beyond IFS
strength by traffic demands and must
be maintained by continual reconstruc-
tion. In other words, a road that IL
constructed for light traffic can be
maintained for light traffic at a low
cost. whereas il double the amount
Of traffic passes over this road It is
taxed beyond its strength and what
would. under normal conditions, b.
only maintenance. with the heavy traf-
ilc becomes reconstruction.
A link between Rcd Lion and Summit
Bridge. after the dupont project is con
structed, would link mp the eastern and
western roads and serve as opening up
a direct road TO Wilmington for all
traffic on the western road between
Townsend and Red Lion.
At the present time there Is a county
road Of an improved type and in fair
condition between Summit Bridge and
Newark. This road should be taken
over and reconstructed in order Of il
importance The roads south OF the
Canal in New Castle County seem tc
be in very good condition and owing
to the more immediate demands they
need not. with the exception of The du.
Pont project, be considered in this re-
port.
Kent County.