Ancient Roads

8/13/2019 Ancient Roads

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Roads to the Future

By

Bernard Alkire

Michigan TechnologicalUniversity

Houghton , Mi


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Early Roads

The first indications of constructed roads date from about4000 BC and consist of stone-paved streets at Ur in modern-day Iraq. In addition undesignated caravan routes werespread throughout the region


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Satellite photo of roads radiating from Tell Brak, an ancientsite in Syria.


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Egyptian RoadsMany of the roads were a result of canal digging: the embankment

of excavated earth serving as road even in times of inundation.They were paved only when there were special circumstances.Thanks to the scarcity of rain even ordinary roads were passable allyear long.Typical mode of transport shown below. A day's march wasbetween 20 and 40 kilometers


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Kings Highway connecting

Pharaoh to middle east neighbors


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Biblical Roads - Roman Mile PostJeremiah 31:21Set up road signs;

put up guideposts.Take note of the highway,the road that you take.Return, O Virgin Israel,return to your towns.


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India Grand Trunk Road


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Chinese RoadsAncient Tea and Horse Road

extreme topography


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Chinese Roads

Great Wall


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Chinese Road

Silk Road

Little topography


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Ancient Greek Roads Note grooves and large stone blocks


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Roman Roads Extent of system atmaximum approximately 50000 miles


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Roman Road PompeiiNote alignment and grooves


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Roman Road ConstructionBasic cross section


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Roman RoadCross section detail


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Modern road for comparison


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Roman Road ConstructionDetail in swampy areas


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Roman Construction SurveysAlignment determination with a groma

Modern total station for comparison


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European 19 th Century-RoadCross Section

Tressaguet in FranceMacadam in England


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Indian Trail in Western United

States


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Pioneer Roads- Western United

States


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Oregon Trail Wagon Track


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Plank Road Western USearly 20 th century


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Plank Road ChinaNote: difficult terrain


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Plank Road - Construction


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Plank Road


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Stage Roads in United States


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Early Highway- US


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Early Highway US66


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Modern Rural Highway WI 23


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Modern Urban Highway I 105


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Future Highways Areas

of expansionRenewal: Accelerating the Renewal of

America's Highways

Safety: Making a Significant

Improvement in Highway SafetyReliability: Providing a Highway

System with Reliable Travel Times

Capacity: Providing Highway

Capacity in Support of the Nation'sEconomic, Environmental, andSocial Goals


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Future roads General Areas


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Future HighwayAutomatic guidance of vehicle platoon


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Future HighwayVehicle Communication


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Future HighwayAutomated Ramp and Roadway


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The Future is Ours to Make

Documents

Ancient Roads