Australian Experiments: Good for 25 to 40 Years: Low Maintenance Sydney's experience with con-creta roads is comforting. They are inevitably the roads of the future, the engineers declare. When America first declared all over the world that concrete roads were the only ones worth worrying sbout, Australia, shy and sceptical. said simply: 'Are they?' says the "Sydney Sun" of February 15. But after a while some adventurous engineers began bold' experiments. They built concrete roads. Many people, of course, were horrified, but the engineers, calm and confident, went on. They're still doing it, and they are able to say now to a more sympathetic. public that concrete roads are the best and in the long run, the cheapest.
Probably the first concrete: road: making done in Sydney was on New South Headroad, near Mona Road, Edgecliffe. It was only a small section—a few chains—a shy experiment. But to-day, though it: is six years old, it is still a good sound road, and looks like lasting for another six ycars—easily that, probably much Tonger. And with the exception. of light trouble with the edges—a thing that can easily be avoided im future roads—the work of maintenance has given no trouble. Greatly gratified with this experiment the Woollahra Council went on to put down £20,000 worth concrete in Ocean Street and in widening New South Head Road near "Cranbrook," and it intends to do still more. Its engineer is convinced that there is nothing nearly as good.
Then North Sydney started. In 1913 its engineer put down three-quarters of a mile of concrete on the main road from Milson's Point to Mount Street. Except for tar-painting there has been no need to touch it since, and according to the engineer it's as sound as when it was completed.
In fact, North Sydney is carrying the concrete scheme further than any other municipality. has decided to spend £75,000 in concreting all the main roads of the district.
Military Road in Mosman has not been such a big success. One section broke up not long after the job was finished. But. this was due to inferior sand—a consignment of ship's ballast. that the council decided to work in. That was an error. The section where it was used couldn't last. So it is no real argument against concrete. Anyhow, it has now been repaired, and the rest of the road, where
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