OFFICE OF PUBLIC ROADS. 745 



stitueiits in bituminous products is a matter for continued research, 

 and the economic utilization of waste products in road construction 

 is yet another important field for investigation. All this will cause 

 the need for a gradual increase in the laboratory force. 



With a view to increasing the efficiency of the present and future 

 force, the organization of classes for outside study along lines that 

 are particularly desirable or necessary for broadening one's knowl- 

 edge in his chosen field will be undertaken. Seminars will also be 

 held at stated intervals for the purpose of discussing current publi- 

 cations on road problems, as well as for the presentation of original 

 papers by members of the laboratory force, and the discussion of 

 methods for the improvement in the organization and efficiency of 

 the work. 



SPECIAL INSPECTION AND ADVICE. 



There are many difficult problems which arise in connection with 

 road work which can best be solved by local officials, after inspec- 

 tion and advice from the engineers, experts, and chemists of this office. 

 The office has an arrangement by which assignments are made for 

 this purpose, after applications have been received from road offi- 

 cials having jurisdiction over the roads to be improved. 



Under this project 183 special assignments were made during the 

 year, as follows: Alabama, 5; Arkansas, 2; California, 3; Delaware, 

 1; Florida, 4; Georgia, 4; Idaho, 3; Illinois, 1; Kansas, 5; Kentuclcy, 

 2; Louisiana, 39; Maine, 7; Maryland, 15; Massachusetts, 4; Minne- 

 sota, 2; Mississippi, 8; Nebraska, 4; New Hampshire, 1; New Jersey, 

 1 ; New York, 4 ; North Carolina, 5 ; Oklahoma, 4 ; Oregon, 1 ; Rhode 

 Island, 2; South Carolina, 11; Tennessee, 9; Texas, 20; Virginia, 12; 

 West Virginia, 3; and Wyoming, 1. 



The work done under the above assignments may be classified as 

 follows: Advice in regard — 



(1) To various rnethods of road construction, including macadam, 

 gravel, earth, sand clay, bituminous, slag, brick, and oiled gravel. 



(2) To surveys for the proper location of roads. 



(3) To the use of prisoners on roads and their management dur- 

 ing the work. 



(4) To the preliminary inspection of local conditions and the loca- 

 tion of requested object-lesson roads. 



(5) To experiments in new methods of construction. 

 (Q) To the construction of bridges and culverts. 



(7) To planning model systems of roads for counties and the best 

 methods of their construction, maintenance, and administration. 



(8) To bond issues for supplying the funds for road construction. 



(9) To the use of the split-log drag. 



(10) To the investigation and testing of road materials. 



In addition to the above classified assignments the office sent its 

 engineers to various States for the purpose of — 



(11) Inspecting bituminous-macadam roads. 



(12) Inspecting oiled-gravel roads. 



(13) Inspecting oil-mixed concrete roads. 



(14) Special inspection of various State roads already constructed. 



(15) Preliminary study of conditions surrounding proposed inter- 

 county or trunk-line roads. 



