Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-28

thousand miles, The most enthusiastic
good roads booster would have to admit
that an attempt to reconstruct each and
every mile of this system with rigid,
or as it Is commonly termed hard sur
faced type of pavement, would be absurd.
Ultimately, this may be done, but such
a time Is far in the future. 1t Is the
intention of the commission, carrying
out the policy Of Governor Warren 7.
McCray, to hard surface" the primary
system or main trunk lines only. If III s
is done, the traffic from the secondary
roads will concentrate on the paved
roads and make 1t possible to maintain
the secondary system Of nonrigid roads
at low cost.
1t is often enormously stated that our
gravel and stone roads could be utilized
as a base for our hard surfaced roads.
If these old roads had originally been
constructed on the proper alignment with
proper grades and to the full width Of
our standard pavements, they would
make excellent sub-base for any type Of
hard surfaced road. Due to the neces-
sity of grade and alignment changes, and
the narrow width, however, we even find
1t impractical to attempt to salvage the
old metal for shoulder material The
construction Of our secondary system of
non-rigid types where new construction
is necessary, will be constructed with ul-
innate alignment and grades, In which
case they will be valuable as a sub
base in case the intensity Of traffic
should, at a future date, justify hard
surface
The selection Of particular non-rigid
or rigid type is the real problem pre-
scented by the type phase Of highway
construction. This selection can be made
interigently after a careful study Of the
cost local materials available, present
cratic, and the expected intensity and
kind of traffic after the construction is
completed. Comparison Of roads built OF
different types by highway officials
should be gone about cautiously. Such
comparisons are usually conducted by
material interests and quite naturally the
best examples of their particular type are
selected. and the poorest Of the other
types. Such comparisons are valuaDleyn
made independently of any material in
terest. providing Information Is obtained
relative to plans, specifications. cost. etc.
Every type of road has been abused by
Door engineering and poor construction,
and incompetent contractors.
WHAT PLANS
SHOULD SHOW.
Plans for new construction should
show all details of construction, such as
old and new right of-way Zine, center
line of construction, curve data, loca-
ton. size and type of structures. struc-
tures to be removed, all special features
such as retaining walls, ditch protec,
guard rail, ETC., and cross section Of
no finished road, etc, in such a man
ner that the contractor will have clear
understanding Of the amount Of work to
be done In order that there can be no
MISUNDERSTANDING after the contract has
been awarded. The profile should show
the present ground line and the pro-
posed grade line with the percentage
Of gradient Of proposed grade and grade
elevations at each break IN grade. In
addition to this, cross sections OF the
old roadway should be taken at least
each 100 feet and plotted on special
cross section paper, the proposed sec
tons of the new roadway plotted at
corresponding stations, and the amount
of excavation and embankment comput-
ed by the use Of a planimeter and av-
n-a~e end areas. Structural plans
should show all dimensions, minor de-
tails and other information in a manner
that will leave no doubt as to the size
materials to be used and the kind of
provided for. HIGHWAY
plans have been submitted to the State
highway commission for approval with
no right-of-way shown and after check
ing-up on the ground, we have found
that 1t would have been impossible to
build shoulders and bitches as provided
for in the plans on account Of insuffici-
ent right -of-way. We have also shown
which would have permitted the con-
tractor to do the minimum amount of |
grading necessary to prepare a sub grade |
upon which the surfacing could be placed, |
regardless of the resulting gradients. A
very common and inaccurate method of |
earth work. is by a method