, 1923-01-25
"DEAL SECTION"
AT MODERATE COST

tiOn which we believe will be of
interest to those of our readers who
are interested in good roads and
highways. The article comes from
Detroit and is as follows:
With the completion of the paving
OF the Ideal Section" a model
stretch Of road built in Northern
Indiana by the Lincoln Highway AS
ISOLATION with funds contributed by
the United States Rubber Company,
nationwide attention has been To-
cussed on the road. A vast amount
of discussion upon highway design
lated. This was one of the aims
of the Lincoln Highway Association
in building the section.
The Association has long felt that
more public thought should be given
to the nature of the improvements
resulting from the investment of the
hundreds of millions of dollars now
going into highway construction in
this country annually. According to
officials of the Association here the
American public, which in the long
run is paying the bills, has not taken
sufficient interest in the adequacy
and permanence of the highways be-
ing constructed. Too frequently
public ignorance of the problems
confronting highway engineers and
commissioners has resulted in mis-
taken public pressure for road i'm
provement which was not properly
designed to carry the traffic it woald
receive. The result has been in
efficiency and waste.
Public Understanding Required
Highway engineers and commits
sioners in many sections of the
Union have not had the support of
the public in undertaking ~farseeing
improvement plans which, while
seemingly expensive, would ultimate
ly save the public large sums in
costs and in facilitating travel.
A. F. Bement, Vice President of
the Lincoln Highway Association, in
a recent address here, said, 1.-THE
Association is gratified that such
great public interest has conferred
on its short section of model road,
designed by the foremost highway
engineers and other authorities in
the Union. 1t is anxious thai that
project shall be we'll and correctly
understood.
The press in some sections of the
country has. We believe. presented
an exaggerated picture in regard to
the cost OF the improvement. The
fact Is, economy, not in first cost,
but in ultimate cost, was always
before the Technical Committee APP
pointed by the Association to design
the Ideal Section for the traffic OF
today and tomorrow. The hard
headed men who determined upon
the plans for the road, which 1t was
hoped would serve as a model for
many years. had no intention of be-
ing practical or extravagant. Many
of them were public officials. having
in charge the expenditures of mil
lions of the public's funds for road
building. They did not advise the
Association to attempt any construc-
ton which could not be economically
justified"
Cost of Ideal Section
The association states that in some
way the Impression has gained cur
rency that the Ideal Section" cost
500. 100000 a mile. This is not the
case. The cost of the reinforced
pavement. which by the public is
generally considered as the road"
was but $~64,s97.2O per mile. This
for 40 feet OF concrete. 10 inches
thick and reinforced with 80 pounds
OF steel to the 100 square feet. 1t
will be noted that for the ordinary
2O-foot width. this road would have
cost but ~s32.45O.0O a mile. ever
though II was much more heavily re-
inforced and two to three inches
thicker than the paving now being
generally laid In many sections OF
the country.
Two bridges were included in the
Ideal Section link and these two
structures cost q total OF $23,174.26.
These expenditures are by no means
e~xtravagant. They represent true
economy for the volume and type
Of travel the Ideal Section OF the
Lincoln Way was designed to carry.
Additional funds. OF course. were
spent by the Association In the de-
velopment OF the design. and In the
carrying put Of the many added fea-
lures recommended by the Technical
Committee. The cost OF tho land
scape work. which involved nue.
preliminary planning 1t would not
be necessary to duplicate II 100 miles
instead OF but n were beautiffed.
was al,s0O.00 per mile, while the
cost Of Illuminating the section for
night travel was but &~\.05l.o0 per
mile. In handling q project Of this
character money was necessarily
pended on expert engineering con-
sultation and in the infinite amount
Of red tape required TO perfect the
arrangements with the Federal Gov
eminent. the State. and tho County
and the property owner Tho bene-
fits Of these expenditures are avail
able to n community In the coun-
try In the shape o. Aatailed apecifi-
cations and plans which may be had
upon application without expense.
Adequate width and Strength
Considering the economy OF the
Ideal Sections design for heavy vol
umes OF traffic. II should be re-
memhered that maintenance cost will