Why do south carolina roads sparkle

He recommended:. The public did not always understand the necessity of the puddling process and the time needed to get the sand-clay road into shape. Watson of Florence, South Carolina, reported on an incident in the 's when he became as he claimed the first man in the State, possibly the world, to be "indicted in the criminal court, tried and convicted" for building a sand-clay road.

When rain transformed the road into an impassable bog, he was taken to court and charged with destroying a public highway. Watson summarized the judge's decision this way:. Watson reported that, despite the order, he never did a thing to the road. When it dried after the rain, the road was in fine condition--and still was years later when he relayed the anecdote. On February 21, , the U.

Department of Agriculture issued Bulletin No. He reported that the public roads in the United States excluding roads in incorporated cities and villages totaled 2.

Of the earth roads, sand-clay roads amounted to a total of 44, miles nearly 2 percent , mainly in the South. Comparing these results with earlier surveys, Moorefield concluded that "it is evident that the construction and maintenance of earth roads will continue to be of considerable importance in connection with every comprehensive plan of public road improvement.

The technical discussion of sand-clay roads in Moorefield's bulletin was based on Spoon's bulletin. As Spoon had done, Moorefield emphasized one of the most important aspects of sand-clay road construction:. He emphasized that construction required several steps over time.

Describing one type of project, he explained:. During the first decade of the 20 th century, the growing importance of the automobile made old ideas about highway surfaces obsolete.

Surfaces that had been ideal for horses and wagons were destroyed by automobile tires. Harder, more durable surfaces, namely asphalt and concrete, were soon to overtake earth, sand-clay, brick, gravel, and other surfaces that had dominated the first two decades of the Good Roads Movement. Highway History. The Sand-Clay Roads of South Carolina One of the universal truths is that road construction is dependent on the materials at hand.

Owens: With their economy depleted by the ravages of war, the South needed a road surface that could be built and maintained at a small cost from local materials in generous abundance. Nevertheless, the success of sand-clay roads was clear: It may safely be said that the construction of sand-clay roads in the Southern States has passed the experimental stage. It has been proved that they are well adapted for light traffic, and are less noisy, less dusty, and more resilient than the average macadam road.

Even under heavy traffic they have proved to a great extent satisfactory. There are sand-clay roads in the South Atlantic and Gulf States over which heavy loads of cotton and other farm products are hauled through the year, with but little resulting damage. When the cheapness of this kind of construction is considered, it will be seen that for certain localities, at least, it is preferable to macadam. The Bulletin contained a series a photographs illustrating sand-clay road construction.

Spoon, by then a State Highway Engineer in North Carolina, first cited the benefits: It has undoubtedly proven a success in many instances, and as a road of comfort to man and beast, its elastic surface has no superior. It is less injurious to automobiles than other roads, and in the matter of expense is less expensive in first cost and less for repairs.

Unfortunately, some "notable cases of failure" had occurred. He explained why: Ordinary sand and clay makes a better road than all clay or all sand because they have the tendency to overcome the bad qualities in each other.

The sand renders the clay less sticky and clay overcomes the liquid character of sand. From this observation it might be concluded that any haphazard mixing of sand and clay would produce a sand-clay road, but no greater mistake could be made than to assume good results would invariably follow when the proportions used and the principal underlying the mixing is not clearly understood by the road builder.

It is manifest that a certain definite proportion must exist between the sand and clay in order that the greatest neutralization of the bad qualities in the clay and sand may be obtained, and the resulting composition produce the best road. It is evident that a deficiency of clay would leave the sand predominating and resulting road excessively sandy. Likewise a deficiency of sand would leave the clay without support ready for rain and travel to produce a muddy road.

Furthermore this contact relation must have sufficient depth to support the loads to be hauled over it. This is a most critical period in the construction and the stoutest-hearted road builder often loses hope and courage and feels that he has made an utter failure, when he should know and the public should know that this is his opportune time to effect and really is effecting the contact mixture.

He recommended: When it is desired to build a sand-clay road on a clay foundation and it is impossible to wait for rain to soften the clay, the surface may be loosened by plowing it and harrowing the sand into it; but before the road can in any sense be called a sand-clay road it must pass through the puddling process and very often the road-builder will discover that he has an excess of clay and will require more sand when the first application disappears.

The remedy is to continue adding sand as long as the clay is in excess. Watson summarized the judge's decision this way: The judgment of the court was that I must put the road back like it was before and it was so ordered. In the opinion of the court, it was best to choose the lesser of two evils. Roadways have to have some traction, obviously, and the N.

DOT does use "a variety of pavement surfaces on different types of roadways," as Anderson said. We also have some concrete roads, but these are generally found on our interstate highways.

Now, we may have more tire wear because of the curvy nature of our roads. He cited a report done back then by the Rubber Manufacturers Association, now the U. Tire Manufacturers Association. The harsh wear came from the curves and hills, but also because of the high amount of granite aggregate in the local asphalt.

Typically with an 80,mile warranty tire, it may well go 80, miles in South Carolina, but here it might be more like 50, miles. New clock tower? This is the opinion of John Boyle. Contact him at or jboyle citizentimes.

Facebook Twitter Email.