The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-27
OUR COUNTY HIGHWAYS

IL appears that the thoughts of new mem.
bers Of the board of revenue are much oc-
eupied with the problem of public roads
That is reassuring. Sincere and intelligent
study Of the principles of road building will
throw a great deal of light upon the dark
ness that has enshrouded this enterprise in
the past. There are plenty of theorists or
persons financially interested in one kind Of
road or another who are ready with i'll
founded advice and misleading statements as
TO highway construction. But the federal
bureau of public roads maintains advisory
service for highway commissions, whence of
ficials may obtain information and reliable
counsel on every conceivable highway sub
ject,s or aspect 1t is almost incredible that
there can be 30 much official highway igno-
rance in the presence of such a host of
proved highway facts. If the new members
really want to know about highways, let
them seek the information where there is
reliable assurance that it is based on fact
and not on fancy or personal interest.
The question of highways is not altogether
one Of construction, as many road bodies
seem to think. 1t is equally a question of
maintenance. Indeed, without adequate pro-
vision for maintenance the money spent on
construction is often money almost thrown
most about efficient highway maintenance
10 North Carolina. The highway officials OF
that state are always willing to send infor.
nation to officials elsewhere telling how
they do it. They are willing also at all
times to demonstrate their various highway
activities TO anybody who takes the trouble
to go to North Carolina to find out about it
There are many things to correct about
highway administration in Jefferson county
Some things have been done right, but many
have been done wrong. In the first place
an observer notes the succession of un
necessary curves in paved highways, curves
which not only add greatly to the hazards
Of the highways, but also materially increase
the expense of construction and upkeep, to
say nothing of the waste in time, tires and
gasoline. Taking the road from Pratt City
20 Adamsville, for example, the observer
finds one double reverse curve which could
far better have been straight line, for there
was no problem of construction necessitating
the curves. At point little further along
the road curves in behind hill, instead Of
swinging out the other way to give a better
view around the brow of the intervening hill
Instances multiply with every stretch of roat
observed.
The paved roads. are frequently of black
top on a macadam base, a type of construc'
tion both inadequate and costly, because such
a base will not support heavy travel for a
long period. The new members can easily
discover enlightened information on this
point. The shoulders of the paved highways,
one of the most important of maintenance
features, are inadequate on many roads, and
improperly kept up. In many cases the
roads are poorly located, adding to cost of
construction, cost of upkeep and cost OF
travel over them. Often the best that can
be done in this case is to see that it shall
not happen on new construction.
The road business of Jefferson county is
its biggest single concern, and one of the
utmost Importance. The newly-elected mem
bers are properly sobered by this response
bility. The main thing is that they take
their highway information from reliable
sources, policy which road bodies too often
fail to follow.