Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-08-15
ROAD ENGINEER 0VERCOMES MANY
 HARD PROBLEMS
Numerous Difficulties are En- cOuRtcred in Modern Road
 Building.
V. P. KNOTT, Arkansas Highway Engineer.

The engineer engaged in highway work is often confronted with num- Der of difficult problems, in some in- impossible of solution. Among the difficulties encountered in Arkansas may be mentioned poor location and drainage, insufficient funds, absence of or unsuitable road material, eli imitation of grade crossings, streams, type of road to select, and unskilled contractors or workmen.
 The improvement of any road should began with a study of it's To- cation and grades, as most unm- proved roads are very bad in both respects. The purpose of relocation IS to enable the road to carry the in creased traffic with the least effort. While it is impossible to relocate all roads and improve their grades at the present time, the engineer must insist upon gradually eliminating or at least, reducing the defective condi- tions. This work is very important and should be planned some time in advance. This IS the only way that the needs of all parts ot the county or district can be met without pre- judice.
 It is evident that road should be as nearly straight as possible be- tween the points it connects or the topography of the country will per mt. However, it is desirable to re- strict grades to about per cent and to avoid expensive grading and brid ges. To locate a road properly and to meet all of the local conditions re- quires competent engineering ser vices, and if they are not obtained there is strong probability that af- ter the country develops, new loea- tions must be made at an expenditure far in excess of that originally requir- ed
 Disadvantage of Section Line Road.
 Many of our roads follow the section lines, and this is sometimes a very great disadvantage from the Viewpoint of proper location, to say nothing of the greater cost of improving such roads. A road built on two sides of a section is two miles long and requires for a width of 50 feet a right of way of COG acres. If the road could be relocated diagonal ly across the section, the distance would be shortened .59 of mile and there would be a saving in rlght-of- way of 1.76 acres.
 The engineer is frequently restrain ed by local influence from locating a road where his judgment and ex- perience dictate that it should be. The road cannot be built in front of every property y-owner's house, so to avoid the controversy which usually follows in matters of this kind, the engineer should be allowed to adopt the most practicable and economical route.
 In Arkansas, two extremes of topography are encountered. In the hilly regions the grading is difficult and expensive and proper alignment is very difficult to secure. Very of- ten rock is encountered, making the grading much more expensive, or necessitating relocation on a long CT and more circuitous route. In the delta regions the great problems are those of drainage and long hauls of materials, which must usually be inn ported at highest cost. There are many sections where the grades are nearly level, requiring long and expensive ditches to be construct ed for the proper drainage of the roadway. When the road traverses large, poorly drained area the grade must be raised above the gen. eral level of the adjacent land, thus entailing additional cost; the result obtained, however, is well-worth the money in the assurance of a firm sub- grade.
 Railway Crossing Dangers.
 The wide, flat valleys of many of the streams in the state present pe culiarly difficult problems. In addi- tion to bridging the streams with an opening sufficient to take care of the drainage at normal flow, provision must be made for the overflow wa ters which usually calls for heavy earth-work, or long expensive ap-