64 BULLETIN 284, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



A total of 922.66 miles has been dragged once at a total cost, in- 

 cluded in the surfacing charges, of $180.01, which is at the rate of 

 19.5 cents per mile dragged. In dragging, the average operation has 

 been three and one-half trips over the section. 



The cost of maintenance per mile has been $141.46 on section 1; 

 $235.33 on section 2 ; $131.99 on section 3 ; $341.59 on section 4, or a 

 weighted average of $201.47 per mile for the whole road. 



During the entire year 1914 these roads continued to improve in 

 cross section and condition. Section 2 was ditched over nearly its 

 entire length and much ditching was done along parts of other sec- 

 tions. The county grading machine was borrowed and operated at 

 Government expense for four days in the early fall. Up to Decem- 

 ber 23, 1914, the time of last inspection, the roads remained in ex- 

 cellent condition and at that time were much better than in May and 

 June. 



This experimental work serves to secure cost of dragging, to deter- 

 mine the cost of maintenance that fully meets the wear of traffic on 

 earth and cheap gravel roads, and to demonstrate that earth roads 

 can actually be improved by a regular system of maintenance. 



VI. SUPERVISION OF MAINTENANCE ON SOME TYPICAL ROAD IN COUNTIES THAT 

 HAVE RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED A SYSTEM OF HIGHWAYS. 



This project is to encourage and promote systematic, intelligent, 

 effective maintenance methods and to assist in devising a scheme for 

 maintenance administration in the county. Owing to the wide dis- 

 tribution of the available roads, this project can not be advanced 

 until a larger organization is developed. 



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