Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-29
CAPITAL HIGHWAY
NEEDS ARE SHOWN
Survey Is Made of Physical
Condition of 726 Miles
of Roads Here.

] DdEGu yCSDCIudy Wy NuPIs IA ~ w
hurst, chief engineer and COORDINATION
of the Engineering Department of the
District.
The survey, by far the most thorough
inspection ever made of the District
highway system, has been virtually
completed, making available for Capt.
Whitehurst and other engineers in
the municipal government a graphic
picture of the condition of the entire
highway system. the results OF this
investigation, Capt. Whitehurst believes,
will be invaluable in the development
Of a co-ordinated program for the i'm
provement of the highway system.
The first conclusion drawn by Capt.
WhitehurSt from the mass of infor-
nation on highway conditions which
the survey produced, however, is that
the present policy Of improving the
streets, In so far as 1t affects the
principal arteries of travel, must be
changed.
! Arteries Developed.
"Some of the arterial highways have
been fully developed from the heart of
the city to the District line" said Capt
WhitehurSt. Others are only partial
! ly developed in sections, and still 9TH
ers are in need of extensive improve
ments.
"BouleVards within the city, con-
Meeting the various sections are in need
OF improvement permanently to provide
| a direct connection between important
sections to relieve congestion of heavy
travel on arterial highways. Develop
ment of the latter class, however has
been retarded by the lack of owner
| ship. It Is believed o program of physi-
cal development properly linked with
acquiring ownership will produce an
earlier completion of some of the major
thoroughfareS."
The entire street system of the Dis
trict, the survey has shown, exceeds
1000 miles, actual and projected, Of
which 726 miles are opened and trav-
eled. The mileage is estimated on a
roadway OF 80 feet, the average width.
152 Miles UnImprOved.
OF the 726 miles Of Travelled road
ways, 274 miles are paved with asphalt,
ia miles with concrete, 1859 miles with
| macadam and II miles with granite
block. One hundred and fifty-two miles
! are classified as unimproved, but have
surfaces OF gravel, old material and
| cinders.
| The survey showed that 80 per cent
OF the total asphalt surface is in ex-
cellent condition. 80 per cent is in good
condition, 20 per cent in fair condi-
ton and is per cent in poor condition.
/ The is per cent classified as poor is
old paving, some of which was laid
between IS and so years ago, but this
is now being replaced as rapidly as
possible.
Forty-eight per cent of the present
asphaltic surface was found to need no
repairs of any kind. Minor repairs
were recommended for % per cent.
major repairs for per cent, Is per
cent for replacement and per cent for
a new topping
The condition of a major portion
OF the concrete roadways was found to
be excellent, due to the fact that most
Of the surface of this type was not
constructed until after the World War.
OF the entire ia miles of concrete
| roadWays, 80 per cent was found to
| need no repairs at all except a few of
minor character. Eight per cent
were recommended for major repairs,
4 per cent for new topping and one
half OF l per cent for replacement
In Good Condition.
The macadam roadways also were
| found to be in good condition, only
1880 miles being classified as poor and
335 miles as very poor. The miles of
good macadam roadway were placed at
1880, while 5643 miles were rated as
fair. Surface treatment. however, vas
recommended for 31la miles Of these
roads. Minor repairs also were urged
| for SO miles, and major repairs for
miles. Provisions for improving 10
miles Of these roads are contained in
| the estimates for the coming fiscal
year. Eleven miles are slated for re-
clamation and miles for new paving.
OF the unimproved roadways Is per
ala AAA g.
So per cent as in fair condition, ~ per
cent in poor condition, and per cent
in very poor condition. The recon-
mendation for improving these road
ways were that 10 per cent be given
minor repairs pending future develop
| ment, per cent a new surface treat
| ment, 5 per cent paved in the 1881
fiscal year and 9 per cent in the 1892
nscal year. Funds are available, i'm
proving n per cent of these roadways
in the current year and this work will
be done in the Spring.
In addition to revealing the physical
| condition OF the highways and streets.
the survey also produced an historical
record Of every mile in the highway
system, showing the date the original
paving was laid, the date of resurfacing
and the type of base and thickness.
The work was done by engineers in
the highway department and took sew
eral months.
A survey Of paving between the
| tracks Of the street railway lines is now
IN progress and is expected to be COM
pleted soon. When this is finished a
thorough investigation will be made of
the alleys.
20 to so Years Old.
The historical data shows that the
use of sheet asphalt in Washington
dates from 1878 and that many of the
| older surfaces are still in use, there
being numerous examples of surfaces
from 40 to so years old. The use of
concrete, however, while started in
1912, was not adopted extensively until
1925.
The first permanent pavement was
laid in Washington in 1872. when Gov.
Shepherd graded the streets. laid side
walks and planted trees. Paving pro-
crossed very rapidly until the war. 1t
was shown, at which time Capt. White
hurst said the streets in washington
were considered the best paved In the
United States.
During the war, however, it became
necessary to abandon street paving
work, and for seven years following the
war, Capt. Whitehurst explained, the
appropriations for highway improve
ments were only slightly in excess of
the funds required for proper mainte-
nance. This was due in a large meas
ure, he said, to necessary economy and
increased cost Of construction.
With the passage Of the gas tax law
in 1925. Capt Whitehurst pointed out.
the highway appropriations naturally
increased, although the cost of the
VIC likewise increased, due to the bet
| t. eharacter of roadway demanded by
m odern traffic. A large portion of the
roadway pavements were laid under
sDecifcations which while prover