Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-01-12
MODERN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION

taken over by the state and maintain
ed as are state roads; In no case has
the state been in position to comply
with these requests, unless the i'm
provement was of the highest type
OF construction and burdensome fu-
ture maintenance a remote possibili-
/ ty.
Director of Highways, Leon C.
Herrick, is emphatically impressing
upon county officials the fact that we
must stop building weak roads that
are subject to heavy traffic, as road
repair bills are climbing at an unpre-
cedented rate.
In the completion of our Intercounty
Highway System the construction,
particularly, the type of base and
wearing surface must be given the
most careful consideration.
Maintenance records on constructed
roads must direct future highway
building, as has been the case in ad-
joining states.
In letter to our county road off
cials from Mr.. U. D. Uhler, Chief
Engineer, State Highway Depart
ment of the State of Pennsylvania,
as reply to request for informa-
tion in reference to their policy of
highway construction he stated that
during ten year period up to 1919
their state constructed about 100
miles of one course, inches thick at
the edge and 8 inches at the center,
part cement, " parts sand and 3
parts crushed stone or gravel, wire
mesh reinforced concrete pavement
on their main travelled routes. This
construction work was carried on un-
der rigid specifications requirements
and rigid inspection control in the
field, and results obtained have been
most satisfactory. In view of the
favorable results in the construction
of this type of road during the ten
year period, the State Department
contracted and completed approx
mately IT'S miles of one course, rein
forced concrete pavement; during
1920 approximately 375 miles were
completed and during the season just
closed 610 miles of concrete paving
was constructed.
! Their maintenance records shown,
Mr.. Uhler states, average less than
$500 per mile per year on total
mileage of about 1900 miles.
He further states that their estab
lished policy is to build only roads
of the durable type, namely brick on
i portland cement base; sheet asphalt
or saphatlic concrete on a portland
cement foundation and reinforced
concrete, where such improvements
are financed by bond issues and pay
ed for by the state, counties town
ships and property owners directly
), assessed. Where current revenues
are used for maintenance work on
! previously constructed state roads,
surface treated and bituminous pene-
;, tration macadam roads are built. The
surface maintenance cost per mile on
J these improvements is relatively
heavy.
. He further states that much more
could be said nj connection with the
, construction of the primary concrete
!, roads, but, that they feel that their
: Thoughts are best covered by the
l fact that they have constructed such
= an extensive milage of this type of
1 pavement.
In planning for their 1922 program
only slight changes will be made in
t their practice of constructing rein
v IOTC0Q COHCTcIc. 1Hc WSlSuI VI IOAh-
Y forced mesh is increased to IS lbs. per
: 100 So it., retain the ga inch round
t iron bar at either side of the expan-
S sion or construction joint and are
n adding additional rod reinforcement
r in the corners, placing an 8 foot ga
: inch round bar parallel to and three
Il inches from the side Of the pavement
e at each slab corner. The six inch
n edge and eight inch center standard
design thickness is not being increas-
a ed
e By the economy thro the rapidity
e of the construction of one course Zone
y operation) reinforced concrete pave
n ments by means of modern concrete
2, mixing, tamping and finishing ma
l. chinery, more of the actual cost OF
e the road being included in the ma
It terial that goes into the construction
and not so much into labor, thereby
# reducing the cost as whole, the
n general tendancy throughout the
e country is towards the construction
% bf a large mileage of this type Of
n road.