Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-01
MOTORISTS ROUSED|
BY MANY DET0URS
Fifteen-Mile Drive to Go Ahead
$50 Yards One Example
of Inconvenience
SAY EVIL. CAN'T BE CURED

The many detours on the State high
ways throughout Pennsylvania have
motorists generally up IN arms.
When the number Of places where
cars have TO leave the smooth roads in
the various counties to bump over
country lanes Is added to the detours
on the State highways. the bad places
in Pennsylvania count well up into the
hundreds.
The detours are Of varying lengths.
In some instances being 40 long that
motorists are forced to travel fifteen
miles TO make nalf mile In the direc-
ton they wish to 20.
While these long detours are the ex-
ception, the shorter ones are annoying
and damaging to cars. AS most are
caused by road construction, there is
much discussion among motorists as to
the best methods of building,
According to officials Of the Key
stone Automobile Club, most Of the
motorists here seem satisfied to stand
for the detours to get new roads, but
others feel that another method OF con-
struction would obyiate the necessity
Of entirely closing the roads and do
away with the detours promptly.
Have to Close Entire Road
Most Of the new roads now being
constructed In this State are concrete,
and according to George w. Biies.
Deputy State Highway Commissioners.
at Harrisburg. this type of construc.
tion requires that the entire road be
closed.
1--WE used to have frequent COM
plants directly to US by motorists who
complained about detours.' said Mr..
Biles. "but when we explained the diff
Rculty encountered in building concrete
highways with n base heavy enough to
stand the weight OF heavy truck travel.
in country with the topography of
Pennsylvania. the motorists quickly
saw our point.
I'VE have heard It argued that New
York builds her highways by leaving
one side OF the road open while con-
struction work Is done on the other side.
but that applies to resurfncing. Such
work can be done on one side of the
highway while the other is kept open
for traffic.
"The Pennsylvania department al.
ways keeps one side of the highway
open when doing resurfacing work on a
State highway, but when such work
Is done on county highway, which Is
not on the State highway plan, the
County Commissioners invariably close
the whole road where the resurfacing
work Is under way, and make a de-
tour
Mr.. Biles explained that the task
of laying down concrete highways such
rs are built in Pennsylvania is n job
that requires all the scientific knowl-
edge possessed by the corps Of State
highway engineers.
The work is done by laying huge
concrete slabs which are placed on a
foundation sometimes foot or two
deep. The greatest care must be ex-
ercised in laying this concrete to pre-
vent any apertures through which the
frost may creep and do irreparable
damage.
1t Is to prevent these npertures that
leading highway builders have adopted
the method of laying the concrete
across the entire highway at one time.
II It were built only on one side at
time there would be an extra crevice
through the middle Of the highway.
600 Miles Being Paved
At present Pennsylvania has under
of modern highways. Wherever con-
crete Is being laid there is n detour.
Since May IA the Highway Depart
ment has ordered approximately 236
detours. AS fast az the construction
work is completed and the concrete
surface ready to bear traffic these de-
tours are removed.
Records Of the department show that
approximately fifty three detours have
been removed, leaving approximately
$50 still in existence.
at Is the old adage, you cannot
have the penny and the cake, too,
said Mr.. Biles. ''Detours are abso-
crete highways"