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ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA
Page 84
Page 85
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By a
Special Correspondent Roadway Finance and Construction Figures Which are Helping Motor Coaching
THE International Road Congress at Washington has brought into focus some remarkable facts. None of these is more striking than the records of constructional work and' expenditure upon American roadways, unless it be the alacrity with which motor traffic accepts new opportunities for circulation.
The figures of new highway mileage for 1929 in the U.S.A. are no lesa astonishing than are . the
• revenues available for their extension and improvement. A total of 54,875 miles of surfaced highway was. added , during 1929 to the 607,560 miles previously in that category. For each mile. by then surfaced, America had 3.6 miles of " earth " roads, the total of these being, 2,361,798, miles, or an aggregate, exclusive of municipal, urban
and other purely township roads, reaching the arresting figure of 3,024,233 miles.
The surfacing, grading and general improvement of a considerable proportion of America's huge present total length of " earth " roads is more than a prospect. The intention to tackle this huge requirement is firmly held by the Governments, Federal and State, and by the people. If the whole were to be envisaged as demanding conversion to modern standards,a 60-year programme looms up, apart -from new construction. Can America do it?
If she can, will she? She will, probably, pause and take stock of the situation when 1,500,000 miles have been done.
The direct taxation proceeds in respect of the year 1929 present good reading alike for highway engineers, road-making contractors, suppliers of materials or plant, motor owners of all classes, and the travelling public. They were as under :
Motor Vehicle Registrations ... $347.843,54-3
Gasoline Tax ... $431,636.454 Municipal Taxes ... $ 20,000.000 Property Tax ... $130,000,000 Total $929,479,997
This total was raised to $2,148,304,618 by special grants and votes from general funds, i.e., to approximately £442,000,000 sterling, but not all of it was spent—some £88,000,000 were carried forward to 1930. Of the total revenue shown, 55 per eat. was assigned to State highways and 45 per cent. to roads more local, in character, but not township class. Of the total money spent, amounting to $1,718,199,895 for 1929, 54 per cent. was derived from motor and fuel taxation.
The petrol tax varies from one to six cents per American gallon, according to the legislation of each State which has one in force. In the 36 States which tax petrol the rate averaged 3.22 cents a gallon in 1929.:
In America coaching traffic is sharing the benefits of improved highways. Despite the one-in-five ownership of cars, there remain some 96,000,000 of the population without cars of their own! Sightseeing coaches are extremely popular. 'The charges per mile in the cities are much higher than in Britain. As to cross-country, intraState and inter-State services, a few typical instances of distances and fares may well be examined.
Growth of Long-distance Coaching.
In America the growth of longdistance coaching and, in fact, of motoring by car, has been rendered possible by highway construction methods which are not yet utilized in Britain. It is common ground that conditions differ. Road metal Is spread by " blading," instead of by hand labour. The broken and graded stone is dumped in heaps at intervals upon the prepared and consolidated sub-soil and stout metal blades, curved or straight, and carried at suitable angles beneath the frames, are driven over the road in course of formation. The "blading " may be repeated as many as four or six times, with intermediate harrowing by means of heavy disc or spike harrows.
Where concrete roads are preferred to treated macadam, which appears to be in an increasing number of instances, the mixing has become a science. So closely is the water content watched that the moisture in the sand is frequently tested and, as ascertained, is deducted from the water to be added, whilst the mixing itself is completed in from 45 to 60 seconds per. batch.
The prepared concrete is, in many eases, made at installations some distance away. from the working points, in order to permit exactness in mixing, and in these cases is conveyed by motor vehicles fitted with special closed containers and appropriate discharge gear for laying. The rate of laying is prodigious, thanks to the efficiency of various mechanical aids, but time Is alio-wed-for the roadway, when laid,. to " cure ". properly.
Cement is, without question, king of highway construction in the U.S.A. We in Britain are, in a comparative sense, babes at employing it. • The technical and traffic successes achieved in America will certainly, before long, be reflected in British highway-engineering practice by new uses for cement.
Now for a few examples of the manner in which American coach companies are following' up the open and opening road. In the first place it can be put on record that every city and populous district has its crop of well-found sight-seeing fleets. But in this continent of great distances it is concerning somi of the through and book-througl runs that most interest arises Every effort to ensure comfort h evident, not only in the vehicle: themselves, but in the extensivE adoption of private terminal station: with adequate facilities for indoot loading at central locations.
Coach Fares.
Fares by coach in America approximate an average around twothirds of the rail fare. In the U.S.A. there is one fare scale, plus extras for _parlour cars,Pullmans and sleepers on the rail.'
A representative selection of road serviees to and frOm Washington is the following: . sing!utitg P:ge
Place. Mileage. fare. (gross). mile.
Akron, Ohio ... 285 10.25 17.5 1.8 Albuquerque (New • Mexico ... ... 2,239 51.00 89.5 1.1 Buffalo, N.Y. ... 484 12.50 19.5 1.3 Chicago, Ill. ... 852 18.00 32,0 1,1 Chattanooga, Tenn. ' 988 15.00 24.5 0.8 Colornao Springs, Cal. ... ... 1,825 40.25 76.5 1.1 Cineinatti, Ohio ... 658 13.75 22.0 1.2 Cleveland. Ohio ... 375 10.25 16.0 1.4 Dallas, Texas ... 1,625 30.00 66.0 0.9 Detroit, Mich. 568 13.00 23.5 1.1 El Paso, Texas 1,929 52.20 79.0 1.4 Fort Worth, Texas 1,650 38.00 66.5 1.2 1.os Angeles, Cal... 2,930 53.1.0 133.5 0.9 Montreal. Can. ... 613 15.50 25.6 1.3 Miami, Fla. ' 1,502 30.00 34.0 1.0 Jacksonville. Fla.... 873 20.00 30.0 1.1 (Further particulars next week.)