Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-20
DISTRICT PAVING
PROGRAM COVERS
% STREET MILES
Present Season Sees Record
Established in District
Improvement.
SURVEY OF EXISTING
SYSTEM TO BE MADE
All Work Expected to Be Com
pleted by Thanksgiving Day.
Inspection to gtart.

Capt. H. G. Whitehurst, chief engi-
neer and co-ordinator of the District,
announced today, that since Spring
about 80 miles of new surface have
been laid on Washingtons network of
streets and suburban roads, constituting
the largest highway improvement pro-
gram ever completed in one working
season. The work cost approximately
$2,5O0,000.
In addition Capt Whitehurst said,
$4,000 square yards of alleys and like
area of sidewalk space were concerted
in the same period, thus rejecting still
greater credit on the highway depart
ment.
Complete by Thanksgiving.
Capt. Whitehurst expects the cur
mentS to be completed by Thanksgiving
day, at which time the entire highway
department will devote its attention to
o comprehensive survey of highway
conditions started more than a month
ago. Only three resurfacing projects
remain to be finished to close this sea-
sons program and the progress on them
thus far indicates that the work will
be completed within a week.
The three projects are the reSurfac-
ing of Military road from Forty first
street to Rock Greek Bridge, Minnesota
avenue from Benning road to Gait
street and South Dakota avenue from
BladenSburg road to Rhode Island ave-
nue.. Each of these important traffic
arteries is being given a new asphaltic
surface and concrete curbs and cutters.
The travel space on Military road also
is being widened.
Competition Cuts Prices.
The street work this year, Capt.
Whitehurst explained, has been supe-
rior to that of former years and the
cost has not been increased because of
lower prices brought about through
keener competition between paving con-
tractors. The minimum thickness of
the sheet asphalt base on all new
downtown streets and other heavily
travelled thoroughfares was raised from
six to eight inches and the thickness
Of the base on all other streets was
increased from six to seven inches.
The greater thickness, according to
Capt. Whitehurst, will prevent the base
of the streets from breaking under the
strain of traffic, thereby assuring greater
economy when reSurfacing is necessary,
as only the topping of these streets will
have to be replaced The topping, he
ing capacity, since it is wearing sur
face only.
New Cement Employed.
Another improvement in the highway
work this year, Capt Whitehurst said,
was the use of a new cement, known to
road builders as "early strength con-
CRETE" which facilitated the opening of
streets closed for repairs. This cement
was used in number of the streets in
the business section and at all inter-
sections, permitting the topping to be
laid seven or eight hours after the con-
crete base was poured. Ordinary
cement, he explained, has to be cured
for seven or eight days before it is
ready for topping.
The highway survey which was initi-
ated at the direction of Capt White
hurst, Is now about 80 per cent COM
plete In the field, and with the addi-
tional assistance to be had after the
close of the street improvement pro-
gram assurance was given that it would
be finished by the new year.
The fundamental idea of the survey
IS the development of a definite pro-
gram for maintenance and replacement.
Every street and suburban road will be
inspected and classified, and the i'm
provementS needed will be listed ac-
cording to the urgency. Capt White
hurst believes the survey will be in
valuable to the highway department in
mapping out its future programs for
highway work.