AN ENGLISH VIEW.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 96, 1 April 1922, Page 2

AN ENGLISH VIEW.

OF CONCRETE ROADS.

One of the most responsible of British technical journals “Engineering” has an interesting article on i 1 Concrete Roads,” more particularly as they apply to England, f roni x which the ■'following is an extract. “In the strenuous advocacy of concrete roads on the part of a comparatively small number of enthusiastic persons these gentlemen usually fall back upon the argument that such roads have proved themseves of value in the United States. We have before now pointed out that the United States, which in these days is one of the few rich countries, cannot be classed with ours in our present impoverished state, and that to adopt a big programme for concrete work on tho roads here would be at the moment far beyond our means, and is likely so to remain for some time ahead.

‘ i There arc in addition other points to be considered. In the first place, when motor transport arrived in the United States it was a question not of improving a moderately useful surface, but for the most part of putting down roads where only earth tracks existed before, and while they were about it, having to deal with a much clearer issue those responsible wisely tackled the material which they thought promised to give the best serviceable life. Now those who advocate so strongly such roads over here would have us believe that in the United States this question is settled for all time. This, however, is very far from being the case, and at the present time quite a large amount of investigation work, in some cases almost rising to the level of research, is being conducted in that country on concrete and reinforced concrete road construction This shows that the problem is still considered as being only partly solved, and while we cannot afford much, money for investigations we would certainly do well to watch the work in countries where they can spend in this direction before sinking in the country a vast amount of capital which may bring not only no adequate return, but may involve us in continual expenses.

“That concrete is not indestructible, as a road surface wa!s amply proved by the condition into which the Brookland track got. The service in that case was severe, but it was with pneumatic tyred vehicles, and, for at any rate some time, until the surface got into very bad repair, the conditions may have been taken to resemble somewhat those of an accelerated destructive tost, in which the normal traffic conditions were exaggerated to get a result more quickly.”