Concrete Roads
and Their Construction

192 CONCRETE ROADS by rail must have been struck by the great and growing mileage of concrete fence posts which are rapidly replacing wooden ones along the lines of practically all the companies. These facts point to the suitability of concrete fencing for rural highways. Telegraph and Telephone Poles, Electric Light Standards and Trans- mission Poles.—Concrete, owing to its great strength and dura- bility, forms an efficient substitute for iron or wood in the making of telegraph and telephone poles, electric light standards and trans- mission poles. In early days when poles of this description were made solid their great weight was found to be a disadvantage, but with improved methods of moulding and reinforcing these articles are made much lighter and their adoption is being rapidly extended. In addition to their low initial cost, the advantage of course lies in the fact that concrete does not decay as wood does, nor does it require painting, which is necessary in the case of the iron pole in order to prevent corrosion. Lamp Posts.—Concrete being in its wet state a plastic material, is one which can. be moulded to any shape. It is not surprising, therefore, that artistic lamp posts may be fashioned of concrete, and if properly made and suitably reinforced are an effective substitute for the iron post. This is a direction in. which municipal authorities might, with advantage, adopt a method of construc- tion which is at once efficient, economical and pleasing to the eye. Examples of concrete lamp posts may be seen at the Permanent Exhibition of Concrete Products to which reference has already been made. An example of a concrete telegraph post and of a lamp post made by the L. & S.-W. Railway Company, are shown in Figs. 130 and 132. Street Name Plates.—Street name plates can be made with advantage in concrete. It is not generally known that concrete can be made in any colour. In the case of the railway station name boards which are now being made of concrete, the lettering is of permanent black concrete on a light-coloured concrete background, so that no paint is required, and all that is necessary to keep the name plate clean and legible is an occasional wash. If this type of sign has been found to be satisfactory in the case of railway station name boards, why should it not be adopted for street name plates, which are easily made and if moulded on glass are perfectly smooth and polished ? Road Signs.—Since concrete has been found suitable for railway Station name plates, it can also be readily adapted for road signs,