Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-11

able to carry the traffic which was
expected to come upon the road. The
average cost of all these roads, as
above pointed out, is $6S4s.00 and the
average cost of the State highways Is
a little less than s11,000.O0, a'hgure
considerably less than S50p00O.oO q
mile.
1t ought to be pointed out that
prior to the organization of the COM
mission 1913 miles of State aid road
had been built. Much of this ROAD
was worn out, however, when this
commission came into office, as no
maintenance law was in existence
until 1913 and not until 1919 did we
have a satisfactory maintenance law
which made patrol maintenance pos
sible.
Maintenance
The commissions records for 1921
show that there are 1916 miles of
improved State highway being MUM
tanned this year and 10o9.6 miles or
improved State aid being maintained
by patrol maintenance. There is also
under patrol maintenance 2i04 miles
of unimproved road, that is to say,
the balance of the State highway
and the State aid highway systems.
During the years 1914 to 1920, in
elusive, there was expended for
maintenance Il sum of $685.. 307 .06.
During the years 1911. 1915 and 1916
this work was practically all done
on patchwork scheme. although
in 1916 patrol maintenance was
started and has been in operation
ever since. In 1919 there were en-
ployed 4S4 patrolmen with teams and
in addition there were 10 truck pa
trolls.
In none of the last three years has
the commission had sufficient funds
to do the amount of resurfacing
which they deemed necessary to be
done They have, according to their
judgment. nude the best use of the
funds available in patrolling, drag
ging and resurfacing the roads under
their care.
Some criticism has been made of
late to the effect that the $4,000 u
mile roads Immediately went to
pieces" We have stated above that
we have not any such roads. but one
is being built which approximate
that cost and under the Federal aid
law the State will put less than $50
600 per mile into the road. How il
will stand under traffic remains to be
/ seen. The part completed last year
! has stood the severe traffic of the
| al !,
and shows 10 signs of wear whatso-
! ever.
| 1t would he marvellous if in con
! structing 100 miles of road during a
! period of eight years, with an in
crease in volume of traffic of 200 to
400 hundred per cent. Ito say moth
ing Of increased weights), from the
time of constructing the first roads
some of them did not show signs OF
failure. Failures simply show that
the roads were not built sufficiently
: strong and of proper type to carry
I the traffic which has developed since
/ their construction. Building cheaper
and less substantial roads will not
; remedy this condition. We know OF
, no rood that has absolutely failed
Weak spots have developed in some
roads and they have been patched
, In some cases foundations have been
put in after road has been com =
! pleted and opened for traffic. The
! percentage of miles requiring such
1 treatment has been so small as to be
practically negligible.
We welcome honest criticism
based on facts. 1t might be fair in
, closing this statement to say that
numerous letters have been received
. at this office this summer from tour
lists and others who have had OPP
portunity to compare our roads with
! those of other states. and without
exception these letters have praised
the splendid condition of our i'm
proved roads and wonderment has
been expressed that SO much has
been accomplished with such a small
expenditure.
Respectfully submitted
w. NJ. AVER. Chairman,