Highways and Highway TransportationChatburn, George R.
History
Highways and Highway Transportation
Chatburn, George R.
Roads; Transportation
Naturally so much traffic induced men to make packing a means of
livelihood. They became so numerous and strong that when wagons
began to take over the business of freighting they considered it
an infringement upon their vested rights. But as goods could be
transported more easily and cheaply by wagon the old had to make way
for the new. Wagon roads and at first two-wheeled then four-wheeled
vehicles began to appear. This created a demand for better roads. At
first that consisted in merely widening the packtrain trails. But
about the beginning of the nineteenth century, Tresaguet in France,
and Macadam and Telford, in Great Britain, were building broken-stone
roads which greatly changed and augmented the internal commerce and
the industry of those countries. The most populous and wealthy of the
colonies likewise began to consider the road question. A few military
roads, such as Braddock’s, had been constructed; there was a road along
the coast of Massachusetts, and some roads and bridges in the interior,
there were roads connecting the larger cities as from Boston to New
York and from New York to Philadelphia. The cities in order to retain
and extend their trade needed highways of commerce.
=Turnpike Roads.=--The construction of turnpike roads many of which
were stoned was encouraged by a number of the states, especially by
Pennsylvania. The Lancaster turnpike from Philadelphia to Lancaster
was “stoned” in 1792 by throwing on it stones of all sizes. These were
afterwards removed and stones “passing a 2-inch ring” substituted. This
is said to have been the first scientifically built hard surfaced
road in America. In 1800 Pennsylvania fostered the construction
of a system of turnpikes (toll roads), by granting franchises and
subscribing stock, which was eventually to cover the state and control
the western market. By 1828 there had been 3110 miles of chartered
turnpike in Pennsylvania costing over $8,000,000. These thousands
of miles of fine turnpike roads including many good bridges placed
Pennsylvania in the lead for internal improvements. But other states
were similarly employed. New York and New England by 1811 had chartered
317 turnpikes.[39] Virginia appropriated funds “to be used exclusively
for river improvements, canals and public highways,” in 1816. South
Carolina voted a million dollars, in 1818, to be raised in four annual
levies for similar purposes.
During these years the states were opening public roads but the only
good roads were those built by the turnpike companies, which erected
gates and collected tolls every few miles. This resulted in a higher
cost of transportation than was liked by the public who clamored for
free roads and canals. They were wanted by both the producer and the
merchant. The turnpikes were opposed to anything which would tend to
reduce their control of transportation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account