Milford chronicle., 1928-02-17
ROAD BUILDING WORK
WILL BEGIN In MARCH
[cOntinued from first sagel

LCOntfnned from frH P0gsJ
cheaper than a concrete road, the
engineers believe.
Always having in mind plans to
prevent the reckless driver from
harm and accident, Mr.. Buck has
recommended to ]. Guy Sheaffer,
superintendent of the Delaware
Division of the Pennsylvania Rail
road, the placing of visible and
audible protectors at railroad cross
ings. There are between four and
five hundred grade crossings in
Delaware. A small percentage of
these are protected with crossing
watchmen and blinkers, but large
inber are still unprotected.
Mr.. Buck suggests that blinkers
or visible lights be placed at the
crossing and electric bell be placed
a hundred yards back from every
+ crossing.
Nothing Seems to stop the man or
woman who is determined to drive
recklessly and carelessly declare Of
ficials. The highway department
has placed several bunker lights and
protectors in the center of the road
just before a railroad crossing, so
that the mOtorist is compelled to
steer out and drive around them to
get across the tracks. Even these
failed to prevent fatalities as several
persons have been killed at such
crossings.
On his recent trip to Cleveland to
attend a meeting of highway engi-
neers, Mr.. Buck in making an exam
nation of roads around this Ohio
city saw a crossing where ropes
similar to those used on all rail-
roads just before reaching an over
head bridge, inform any trainmen
riding on top of freight cars that
they must duck to prevent injury
or death if they stand on top of the
car. On making inquiry, Mr.. Buck
was informed by the Ohio highway
officials that no more of these pro-
lection signals would be used, be-
cause the one erected had failed to |
prove successful. He told that in
some instances the bottom of the |
rope had a piece of leather attached |
largely in order to weight it down |
and these strips were likely to hit |
travellers seated in open cars and |
possibly harm them, so the idea has
been abandoned The highway COM |
mission, this winter, had considered |
experimenting with such a prOtec-
ton, but after learning the eXper-
fence of the Cleveland authorities
have given up the plan.
1t is the hope of the Highway
Commission that work on the over
head bridge at Farnhurst and the
crossing under the railroad at New
port will be started early this
spring. The project is awaiting ac-
ton by the Pennsylvania Railroad
department and the
engineers of Delaware are
ready to do their part as soon as
the railroad makes a move.
Engineer Buck is pleased with the
way in which employees of the main
tenance department of the Highway
Commission succeeded in removing
the snow from the highway during
the recent snowstorm. The loyalty
and courage of the men, some of
whom remained on the job at the
start of the storm for from sc to 48
hours without sleep was pleasing to
Mr.. Buck. The cost of removing
the snow was trivial compared with
the general satisfaction evidenced
by the public in being able to get
through.
The work of the maintenance men
was remarkable in that it reflected
he cleverness and skill of the me-
,hanics employed. The tractors in
Use were second hand trucks and
ten years ago, purchased
rom the Government at the close
If the war.
This matter of snow cleaning ap-
)aratus is one that the Highway
Commission has not solved to it's
When snow ploughs
md tractors and trucks are needed,
hey are needed badly, but often
lines they may not be used for a
Ouple of years. 1t is likely how
yer, that some new trucks will be
considered necessary to continue to I
the splendid record made
" the Highway Department in
Tearing the DUPONT Boulevard dur
ng the recent storm.