The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-06-06
DEFECTS IN OHIO BRICK ROADS
COULD Be OVERCOME IN WAYNE

this work in maintenance was filling
cracks in the surface, "truing up
slabs OF the concrete which had risen
until they projected several inches
above the neighboring slabs, and in
other surface repair work arising from
struction itself. In 1917, 288 miles OF
concrete cost the state $50 a mile for
surface repair, and total of $244
mile.
Brick Roads Sometimes Defective.
Brick roads. measuring in 1915, 3s1
miles. cost an average of sos for
surface work and $3.50 for the total
per mile. In 1917, 456 miles of this
type cost 1882 a mile for surface re-
pair and total of 1853 mile. At
first sight these figures seem dispro-
portionately large, compared to those
of the concrete.
But the repairs to brick highways
were made because OF three serious
troubles due to defective building of
the roads, and which would be elimin-
ated in a wellbuiIt road, such as
Wayne county would be careful to
get.
cost, due to defective building in
stead of defects in the brick type of
pavement itself, was the rebuilding
of short stretches due to bad founda-
tions, a fault which with proper care
will mot occur in a modern brick road.
The second was the taking UP and
relaying of small areas, due to de-
fects in the brick, and especially in
the grout filler and the sand cushion,
when dirt, or sometimes the plain
said, was forced up between the in
dividual brick
The third defect was the taking
up or rebuilding of transverse expan-
sion joints, type of joint which was
very popular in Ohio in the early
days of her state road system. and
has proved a serious weakness where
ever ii was used-another error
which Wayne county would be care
full to avoid.
The fourth cause only, the one to
which almost the total cost Of con-
crete repair was attributed, is the
only one which is inherent in brick
pavement as well as concrete; that
is, the spreading of cracks across the
surface The filling of these cracks
with tarvia and stone mixture was
| the source of only one item of ex.
pense out of four in the brick pave
ment, while in the concrete it was al.
! Brick Oldest of Types
Brick Oldest of 8 Typtes.
! Another reason which would tend
| to reduce the difference between
/ brick and concrete maintenance
! costs, is that brick is by far the old
| est of the three types of roads. Brick
roads were put down in the central
west before people ever thought oil
concrete In Richmond for instance
! the oldest stretch of brick was laiC
/ down twenty-eight years ago; the old
est stretch. of concrete only six OF
/ seven years ago. Probably the Ohio
/. brick roads average 10 or IL years
older than the concrete roadways.
+ The result therefore is that thu
aging but sturdy brick pavement O
Ohio shows slightly larger upkeeI
cost than the much newer concrete
mostly due to defects in the building
which would not appear in a modern
brick road.
The f1re-new bituminous concrete
a sturdied road than the bituminou
macadam of which so much has beel
!! made in this county, show a first
year upkeep cost almost as heavy a
that of the other two much olde
made in this county, shows a first
tendency to go to pieces under tn
impact of modern traffic and tn
stress of weather