En Samling Afhandlinger Om Veje 1876-1881

4 OUR ROADWAYS. of public money is to be economical, and it is right that they should endeavour to perform the necessary work at as small a cost to the public as possible; but, in conceding this, it will be necessary to bear in mind the full meaning of the word “ cost,” and to estimate accurately the sources of expenditure, some of which receive little or no consideration. In seeking for the most suitable pavement, we are met at the outset by the necessity for providing for two conflicting requisites: we need a smooth, level pavement on which wheels will run readily; but, un- fortunately, as these wheels must be drawn by horses, the surface must not be so hard or so slippery as to injure their feet or prevent their taking foothold. Again, we need durability, and the more important the thoroughfare, and the greater the traffic, the more essential it is that our pavement should be lasting, for the dosing, or even partial closing, of a main thoroughfare is an inconvenience so great that it must be avoided, save under the most stringent necessity. There are, however, certain other requi- sites for a good pavement in a city, and of these the most important are cleanliness and freedom from noise. The want of the first entails large expense, while the continual clatter over the noisy stone pave- ment is a nuisance found to be intolerable now that experience has demonstrated the possibility of em- ploying materials over which both rapid and heavy traffic can be conducted without noise.