52 HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION 



smooth road. In summer when the surface gets roughed up it can 

 be improved by running a harrow over it; if the surface is a little 

 muddy this treatment will hasten the drying. 



During the fall the surface should be repaired, with special 

 reference to putting it in shape to withstand the ravages of winter. 

 Saucer-like depressions and ruts should be filled up with clean earth 

 similar to that of the roadbed and tamped into place. 



The side ditches should be examined in the fall to see that they 

 are free from dead weeds and grass, and late in winter they should 

 be examined again to see that they are not clogged. The mouths of 

 culverts should be cleaned of rubbish and the outlet of tile drains 

 opened. Attention to the side ditches will prevent overflow, and 

 washing of the roadway, and will also prevent the formation of ponds 

 at the roadside and the consequent saturation of the roadbed. 



Holes and ruts should not be filled with stone, bricks, gravel 

 or other material harder than the earth of the roadway as the hard 

 material- will not wear uniform with the rest of the road, but produce 

 bumps and ridges, and usually result in making two holes, each 

 larger than the original one. It is bad practice to cut a gutter from 

 a hole to drain it to the side of the road. Filling is the proper course, 

 whether the hole is dry or contains mud. 



In the maintenance of clay roads neither sods nor turf should 

 be used to fill holes or ruts; for, though at first deceptively tough, 

 they soon decay and form the softest mud. Neither should the ruts 

 be filled with field stones; they will not wear uniformly with the rest 

 of the road, but will produce hard ridges. 



Trees and close hedges should not be allowed within 200 feet 

 of a clay road. It requires all the sun and wind possible to keep its 

 surface in a dry and hard condition. 



Sand Roads. The aim in the improvement of sand roads is to 

 have the wheelway as narrow and well defined as possible, so as to 

 have all the vehicles run in the same track. An abundant growth 

 of vegetation should be encouraged on each side of the wheelway, 

 for by this means the shearing of the sand is, in a great measure, 

 avoided. Ditching beyond a slight depth to carry away the rain 

 water is not desirable, for it tends to hasten the drying of the sands, 

 which is to be avoided. Where possible the roads should be over- 



