THE IDEAL ROAD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 154, 16 November 1912, Page 4

THE IDEAL ROAD

Speaking at the British Association, Sir John 11. A. Macdonald. a member of the British Koad Board, said what is needed for the ideal road is a surface which cannot break, on which water will not lodge, and which, if at anv spot a hollow does form through acident, the defective piece can he cut out and made as "ood as over. The essence of a good "road is that water should not enter it.. A disadvantage of the road-roller is that it led to the use of larger stones. Large stones. Sir John continued, will not. bind in the road. If a .sharp-edge tyre or a heavily-shod horse bears on one end of such a stone it is loosened and tilted, and may be actually picked out, leaving a hole. A road 1 hi;.- made is in a perishing condition, because water lodges in these holes, and leads to a rapid destruction of the road. He states that them is no suction action with rubber tyres, which merely exert a pressure on any water which may be in such holes, and pure hydraulic action will then dislodge adjacent parts of the road. Another evil, not now so common as formerly, is the plan of heaping material on the crown of the road, trusting that the rolling action of tie- tratlic will push the surplus out to the sides. A steeplycrowned road menns heavier traction for vehicles if they keep to the sides, and the formation of furrows, permitting the lodgment of water, ii". as usual, they keep to the crown. Jn the case of motorears, such a method of making roads leads to. dangerous side-slips, from the mud binding washing down towards the sides.