Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-27
TESTS
ARE DESCRIBED
Local Man, Writing From
Meridian, Conn.,, Tells of
Interesting Experiment

AS a local resident and property
holder interested in economizing on
state expenditure Harry Levine, OF
391 Division street, has submitted
extracts from an article that re-
Gently appeared in a Meriden, Conn,
newspaper containing an article on
road construction of interest to all
citizens and taxpayers of New Jer-
sey.
The article is as follows:
The establishment of two expert
mental highways in Connecticut, in
an effort to arrive at the most eco
Eomical types of road within certain
classes for use in future construc-
ton. was disclosed yesterday at the
state highway department. One is
a stretch about a mile long on the
Berlin Turnpike. about two miles
south of Berlin Town Hall, and the
other cover about a half-miles on
the state road between Plainville
and Southington, just north of Lazy
Lane.
Six different kinds of sheet
asphalt surfacing for concrete foun-
dations have been laid in six con-
secutive sections on the Berlin Turn
pike, and labelled. The first is of
the cheapest construction and each
SuCtttuiIS StSlioh 10 vi q ca
pensive grade than the preceding
one. Immediately on completion.
all of these six sections have been
thrown open practically simultan-
eously. to the heavy traffic regular
ly using the turn pike. State high
way experts have been assigned to
observe the hammer in which they
wear. After a reasonable test, the
department will select as the stand
ard of construction for that type
of highway in Connecticut the sec
ton which proves the most econom-
.ical, considering the cost n the
life of the highway.
$50 Miles of Concrete Roads
The material used in h SIX
The material used in the steps
as they are called at the highway
department, ranges in price from Sc
a ton to $12 a ton. and, as about L.
600 tons are required for each mile
of highway, and there are $50 miles
of concrete roads under the super
vision Of the state highway depart
ment in Connecticut, the result OF
the experiment is expected to have
an important bearing on the future
reconstruction costs in the state.
The experiment on the turnpike
is for the purpose of deciding on the
best treatment of concrete high
ways, while that on tn Plainville-
Southington highway is to deter
mine the most satisfactory treat
ment of macadam roads. The high
way departments experience with
! co >crete roads has been that they
will wear well, according to Com
missioner Bennett but that. after
hard wear for five or six years,
there are places where the surface
becomes rough. 1t is to decide on
a type of surfacing for the treat
| ment of such rough spots when they
appear that the Berlin turnpike ex-
detrimental section has been estab-
lished. A large sign is being erect
ed al the beginning of the section
to inform the public that the road
is a series of experimental stages
for about a mile, and each step
is lettered for identification. Thi!
makes it possible for users of the
turnpike, who desire, to notify the
department which type appears to
them to be the most satisfactory.
Would Reclaim Old Material
The same is being done on the
| Plainville-Southington highway, *
cept hat an entirely different kind
of road is involved. Here the high
way commissioner is experimenting
to ascertain the practicability of
| using over again in the reconstruc-
ton of that type of highway the
same material that was used in the
original construction of the high
way. Success of the plan would un-
doubtedly result in a considerable
saving as we n million dollars
is included in the biennial state
I budpet for repoustructjOn az over q
million dollars a year is spent in re-
construction work.
Experimental sections like those
established in this state are alec
built in Illinois.