The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-06-20
FEDERAL AID ROADS OF
PERMANENT CONSTRUCTION

Columbia, June 13.-Major R. G.
Thomas of Charleston, chairman OF
the State Highway Commission, re-
Gently gave statement to the press
in which he outlined the policy which
the commission has adopted in con-
structing sections of the South Caro-
lima Highway System with the finan-
cial aid from the Federal Govern
ment.
''The Commission will see," said
Major Thomas, "that the roads IN
the State Highway System have the
best possible location with reference
to their terminal points, sufficient
width (not less than 80 feet) to car
nv present and prospective traffic,
the lowest possible grade Tin no case
more than 5 per cent? and that the
drainage structures are built for
permanence. After giving it the best
location, sufficient width, a mini
mum grade and permanent drainage
structures, the State Highway Com
mission will not attempt to decide
arbitrarily whether a road is to be
hard surfaced or surfaced with some
local material, as this is a factor
which must. be controlled by the
amount of money available for use
ON any particular stretch Of road"
Major Thomas pointed out the
close analogy between railroad and
a highway. He said that in this
State there are railroads located
three quarters of a century ago, the
roadbeds of which occupied the same
locations determined by the first en-
eineers ewho worked on them. These
engineers made the grades low and
the locations the best obtainable, al
though they did not provide many
permanent drainage structures.
When the railroads were first laid
flimsy crossties and light weight
rails, some of them Of timber topped
by iron strips, were put on the road
beds. With the increase Of traffic
and heavier trains the flimsy cross
ties and light weight rails were re-
placed from time to time until now
on all standard railroads there are
90 lb. rails and heavy crossties bal
lasted by crushed stone. "The sur
face of a State Highway, built OF
some local material, can be compared
roint for point with the small cross
ties and light weight rails laid on
railroad roadbeds three-quarters OF a
century ago." continued Maj. Thom-
as. "The highway surface OF local
material can be removed when 1T
wears out, and if money is available
a hard surface madesas imported ma
terial can be laid kch will then
bring the highway up to the best
standards. No group of. highway en-
thusiasts is more anxi6us than the
State Highway Commission to see
every road in the State hard sur
faced, but such surfacing is mat
ter of money, while the States need
for roads which will be dry in wet
weather and afford means for haul
ing at low cost between sections OF
the State now isolated in bad wealth
er, is pressing present one which
we cannot relegate to some indefln-
ite date when this State or it's coun-
ties have money enough to put hard
surfaces on all their roads.
'sThe roads in the State Highway
System being built under the super
vision of the State Highway Com
mission with Federal aid will COM
pare favorably as to permanence OF
location, width, grade and drainage
structures with standard stretch of
railroad. The Commission does not
consider that money spent on sur
faces Of local materials for sections
of these roads is wasted, although 1t
would afford great pleasure to the
commission to have all Of these roads
hard surfaced now. On an average
the cost of hauling, spreading and
compacting road surface made OF
local material is only 80 per cent OF
the total cost, the remaining 70 per
cent being made up of the cost Of re-
location, grading, grubbing and per-
manent drainage structures. A road