GOOD ROADS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14840, 18 February 1919, Page 5

GOOD ROADS.

THE AMERICAN SYSTEM. Good roads are a feature of the American cities, according to Mr J. W.Marchbanks, engineer to the Wellington Harbor Board. Mr Marchbanks paid attention to this subject during his recent visit tot the United States, and he was much impressed by the efforts the Americans have made to create roads that will carry heavy traffic with a maximum of ease and 1 a minimum of wear and tear. The ."best American roads, says 'Mr Marchbanks, appear to have a concrete base, carefully laid down, "with a covering of three 4nches cf asphalt. Natural asphalt, or bitumen, is used, and not tar. In some cases the base is put down m two coats, with a fine wearing surface on top. The wearing surface was sometimes of asphaltic concrete, two or three inches thick, with, a base 'of concrete. The asphalt wearing surface is the smoother and gives the finer appearance, but the asphaltic concrete gives the better grip for horses and motors. The smooth and fast concrete roads are not' without their, "disadvantages. They are slippery, m wet arid frosty Weather, and the municipal authorities m thei American, cities 'find it necessary to put down sand at such times. The road 3 have to bp kept very clean. Some of the cities, have useid .vitrified brick' for their roads. This 'material,, says Mr Marchbanks, gives very 'goad results. At Seattle he saw some 'pavement of. vitrified brick said to been put down 20 years ago and still in* fairly gbpd order. He saw at; Buffalo asphalt ,tliat had been down for .20. years. . The c\ty of Buffalo Kas 280 miles erf asphalt roads, 27 miles df stone-set roads, 45 miles of other good roads, "and only 14 miles of macadam. The macadam road, m fact, is regarded there^as a pcor road. Nearly all the American towns, have now a'jproportion of/asphalt streets.