Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-20
WILL WRECK NEW ROAD TO
STUDY TRAFFIC PROBLEMS
Government Co.Opcratcs With
State of Illinois in Great
Highway Experiment.
ROAD TO DE GIVEN SEVERE TEST
Light Trucks and Trucks Carving
Fh'y Fer Cent More Thnn state
hnwH Allow to lie Opcrnted Over
highway Under Speed.

WASHINGTON. nov. 1o-somo
'me within the next few months n
new road. two and onc-half miles
i"hS. ~ to BIO broken up In what -
P.'oab!y the most extensive study
"i road service ever undertaken in
nc United states. The road is located
IN Illinois. about twelve miles south
M'st OF Springfield, and parallels the
wabash Railroad. In tho test road
mere arc no curves. Tho grades vary
rom zero to four-tcnths OF pes
cent. with an average grade OF one
'chth OF l per cent. the maximum and
minimum grades extending over very
snort distances. The subgrade soil
~ uniformly brown silt loan. cx-
cept FOR two small stretches where
~ more nearly approaches gumbo.
Iiuilt OF Common Materials.
There are seven general types of
paving Ia the road. the idea being
10 have represented the chief mate
ffaia used in roadmaking SO that en-
E!neers may study the effect Of
known and measured traffic OF vary
ing degree upon each kind of road.
The seven types are:
Portland cement concrete.
Three and four-inch lug brick con-
structcd monolithic and with n Port
."hu cement concrete DaSc.
Three and four-inch lug brick con-
structed scmlmonolithic and with "a
Portland cement concrete base.
Three and four-!nch bitumino Gus
allied lug and luGless brick on Port
land cement concrete base.
Three and four-inch bitum!nous
f!led lug and luglcss brick on ma
cadam base.
Asphaltic concrete with and with
out binder course on Portland &C.
nent concrete base.
Asphaltic concrete with and with
out binder course on macadam base.
Frderni Government Co-Operates.
Tho road. known as the Bates ex-
detrimental road. was constructed BY
The division OF highways. Illinois De
partment OF Public Works and Build
ings, In cooperation with the bureau
OF public roads, United States De
partmcnt OF Agriculture. Actual work
was begun on the road In June. 1920.
and IL Was finished some time ago.
since Its completion the State and
Federal government engineers by
numerous daily observations. have
been measuring the effect OF heat.
cold. moisture and other elements
upon It's surface and on the sub
Eradc. These observations have been
taken on siSty-thrce hcctionS and
much information has been obtained
which Will be valuable In building
roads In the future.
Thus the road has seasoned. AZ
the proper time. now approaching. tho
first motor vehicle will he turned
upon It. II IL planned to subject the
highway to rigidly controlled truck
traffic. The trucks are to be weighed
and the weights Will be gradually In
creased from n light load to one sc
per cent greater than that allowed by
Illinois law. The number and weigh,
Of loads required to produce failure
in the various sections Will index
the behavior of the various types OF
pavcments. when subjected to diff
ierent kinds of traffic.
THIS information is OF the utmos,
value. knowing the conditions ottra:-
tic which are TO ne met. IL will afford
Il means by which a proper paving can
he selected TO meet those conditions
IL may lead to the saving OF millions
Of dollars each year by preventing
Continued on Seventh PageD