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Show ROADS STANDARDIZE BRIDGE DESIGN No Sound Reason for Amount of Variation Va-riation in Specifications That Now Exist in Building. (Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture.) Greater standardization of practice In the design and construction of highway high-way bridges is urged by the bureau of public roads of the United States Department De-partment of Agriculture. It , Is believed be-lieved that there Is no sound reason for the nmount of variation in specifications specifi-cations that now exists and that It results In greater cost of bridges. State officials take the same view as the bureau bu-reau and a committee composed of bridge engineers has been appointed by the American Association of State Highway Officials to consider the matter. mat-ter. A "Manual of Practice" is being prepared, which will represent the best thought on the subject and which It Is believed will be accepted by all the state highway departments. Not only will the adoption of such a manual man-ual lead to the building of bridges of good design, but It will also make possible pos-sible a saving in money, as bridge companies will not be called upon to meet so much variation in design. INFORMATION HARD TO GAIN Statistics Concerning Roads of Different Differ-ent States in Some Cases Not Easily Obtained. (Prepared by the United States Department ot Agriculture.) With the annual expenditure for roads and streets In the United States approaching the billion-dollar mark, more accurate information and better means for obtaining it seem necessary, says the bureau of public roads of the' United States Department of Agriculture. Agricul-ture. . One thing very much needed Is the concentration of all sorts of Information In-formation and statistics concerning the roads of the various states in the state highway departments. Engineers of the department are now gathering complete Information, regarding the road mileage and expenditures ex-penditures in the United States. In many of the states much of the information in-formation desired Is easily obtainable from the state highway department. In the case of Iowa the figures were, obtained almost Immediately. In other cases it has been necessary to sexd out numerous questionnaires and some- The Brotherton-Berlln Road in Pennsylvania, Penn-sylvania, Showing How It Appeared Before and After It Was Improved by a Concrete Road-Bed. times the information has been obtained ob-tained only after personal visits. In one state 1,800 questionnaires had to be sent out to bring in the needed figures, and in some It has been found that practically no records have been kept. For some of the counties In New Mexico questionnaires hud to be translated trans-lated into Spanish berore the road officials offi-cials could understand them. BRIDGES ON IMPROVED ROADS Few Structures Less Than 18 Feet Ar Now Being Constructed. Say Engineers. Kew highway bridges with a wWUli of roadway less than 18 feet are now being constructed on improved roads, according to en:ii'er.s of tin; bureuu of public roads of the United States Department of Atfriculturu. In the past some 12 feet and a good many of IG-foot width have been constructed in on effort to economize, hut it has proved shortsighted economy. Only one line of trallic can pass over a 12 foot roadway, and 10 feet of width will not accommodate two lines in safety. Many of the states, such us Pennsylvania. New Jersey, ( Hiio and i Massachusetts, hare found it advisable j ir. replacing old bridges on important j roads lo make tht-m wid" enough to I accommodate three and foi- lines of i trathv. j |