The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1920-08-26

Wayne county. Michigan. IS q not
able pioneer il the uSe of concrete
roads. The oldest concrete road IN
that county is in lis eleventh year q
service. yet Il shows very slight signs
of wear. The concrete road has APP
parently justified itself in Wayne
county. not only with the experts, but
with people in general The chairman
Of the board of county road commits
sioncrs Of Wayne county sand after
several years Of operation, these
(concrete) roads are starting in their
fourth year Of wear. and, barring a
few cacks, are as good as the day
they were built. The road COM
mission has received petitions from
farmers on practically every road in
the county, urging the Improvement
Of some particular piece Of road, and
cannot recall single instance where
concrete he's not been specified
True, concrete roads do have
cracks. But the cracks when main
tanned, do not detract from the perm
anent value Of the road Moreover
good materials and good workmanship
do much To lessen the number"
OF Delaware's proposed trunk-line
system. measuring 270 miles, 73 miles
has been actually completed within
two years, 81 miles is in process Of
present construction, and 70 miles are
under state maintenance. Several inn
poItant and difficult pieces Of con
struction have been effected in connec-
tion with the general work.
New Laws provide that no vehicle of
more than 10000 lbs gross weight in
load shall be operated on Del
aware roads, trailers bearing a gross
weight Of more than 6,000 lbs. are
prohibited and other regulations
adopted tend to protect the roads and
traffic upon them. A standard state
nilu itl 'Ntis NiNNH AN'tftf 'ttt''f'N
both day and night, is established.
But Delaware is not neglecting its
county roads for its trunk lines II
has in all a road mileage of about
/ 900 miles, so that the main system
Of 270 miles is only small part Of its
problem The state highway depart
nent apportioning S750,000 among
he counties delaware like most /
,ther states has the county instead Of .
he town unit in local government to
,e matched by an equal sum by the /
and the whole used in con-
county roads according TO
he state standard. About GO miles Of
tate aid highways are now under con .
or contract. The counties
ave to appropriate 500 per mile an
ually for maintenance Of these state
id roads. Delaware has also availed
self of the relatively small amount
federal aid coming to il.
The highway department consists Of
staff Of about 70 persons and a road
,rce Of about 500 men. The depart
ent is apparently well organized to
irry on its work efficiently.
State moneys available in that little
ate for road building this year total =
,out 81 100000, and heavy increase c
contemplated The funds for state a
ads, both for construction and main q
nance, come from automobile re- n
ipts, which amount to about $780, h
0 annually (Vermont's amount now n
S5000OO) and a small revenue from p'
come taxes, about $4,000 per year. !;
the big development of =
,laware's highway system is being vi
ide from automobile receipts. or u
urse it is being done through bond - -
z, in the form Of 40-year bonds that g.
Divide their own sinking fund. II Ii,
assumed that the roads now being
instructed have, under ordinary q
lintenance attention, life Of at
.st 40 years and the bonds extend
. that period.
Seemingly, the Delaware plan is "
rthy Of investigation by Vermont, sh
ich is not gettinp ahead as il nj