id Asphalts--Asphalt Cements--
Fillers--Bitumen--Specifications--Surface Treatments--Applying
the Bituminous Binder--Finishing the Surface--Patching--
Penetration Macadam--Foundation--Upper or Wearing Course--
Patching Characteristics--Hot Mixed Macadam--Foundation--Sizes
of Stone--Mixing the Wearing Stone--Placing and Wearing
Surface--Seal Coat--Characteristics--Asphaltic Concrete--
Bitulithic or Warrenite--Topeka Asphaltic Concrete--Foundation
--Placing the Surface--Characteristics 116-129

CHAPTER XI

MAINTENANCE OF HIGHWAYS

Petrol Maintenance--Gang Maintenance--Maintenance of Earth,
Sand-clay, Gravel and Macadam Roads 130-134

Index 135

AMERICAN RURAL HIGHWAYS

CHAPTER I

THE PURPOSE AND UTILITY OF HIGHWAYS

THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHWAY SYSTEMS

=Transportation Problem.=--Public highways, like many other familiar
things, are utilized constantly with little thought of how
indispensable they are to the conduct of the business of a nation or
of the intimate relation they bear to the everyday life of any
community. The degree to which a nation or a community perfects its
transportation facilities is an index of its industrial progress and
public highways constitute an important element in the national
transportation system. It is to be expected that the average citizen
will think of the public highway only when it affects his own
activities and that he will concern himself but little with the broad
problem of highway improvement unless it be brought forcibly to his
attention through taxation or by publicity connected with the
advancement of specific projects.

=National in Scope.=--The improvement and extension of the highway
system is of national importance just as is development and extension
of railways, and concerted action throughout a nation is a
prerequisite to an adequate policy in regard to either. It is
inconceivable that any community in a nation can prosper greatly
without some benefit accruing to many other parts of the country.
Increased consumption, which always accompanies material prosperity,
means increased production somewhere, and people purchase from many
varied sources to supply the things that they want. Good
transportation facilities contribute greatly to community prosperity
and indirectly to national prosperity, and the benefits of highly
improved publ