USE OF SOIL SURVEY DATA BY THE SMALL HIGHWAY ORGANIZATION

THE SMALL STATE OR COUNTY HIGHWAY ORGANIZATION IS OFTEN RELUCTANT TO ADOPT METHODS BEING USED BY HIGHLY TRAINED TECHNICIANS IN LARGE HIGHWAY ORGANIZATIONS. USUALLY BENEFITS CAN BE DERIVED IN THE SMALL ORGANIZATION SIMPLY BY CHANGING FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE THINKING AND 'GETTING STARTED.' IT IS PRACTICAL TO ENTER INTO THE USE OF SOME OF THESE METHODS WITH EXISTING PERSONNEL AND VERY LITTLE INITIAL INVESTMENT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO SHOW THAT A START CAN BE MADE BY ANY INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL ORGANIZATION AND THAT EVEN THE RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED CAN MAKE PRACTICAL APPLICATION WITH GRATIFYING RESULTS. WYOMING SENT ONE EMPLOYEE TO THE 'AIRPHOTO SHORT COURSE' AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY IN LAFAYETTE, INDIANA IN APRIL OF 1948. THIS COURSE WAS FOR THE DURATION OF ONE WEEK, AND WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION IN THE TECHNIQUES OF INTERPRETING SOILS AND ENGINEERING PROBLEMS FROM AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS. SINCE THAT TIME, MUCH INTEREST HAS BEEN AROUSED AMONG THE PROJECT ENGINEERS, DUE PRIMARILY TO THE TIME BEING SAVED BY DETERMINING DRAINAGE AREAS ON AIRPHOTOS INSTEAD OF THE CONVENTIONAL TRAVERSE METHOD, WITH COSTS DROPPING AS MUCH AS 80 PERCENT. SOME ENGINEERS HAVE OBSERVED EXAMPLES OF POOR ALIGNEMNT AFTER HAVING PURCHASED AIRPHOTOS FOR DRAINAGE AREA DETERMINATION, AND NOW INSIST ON THE PURCHASE OF AIRPHOTOS PRIOR TO LOCATION, THEREFORE THEIR USE IS GRADUALLY BEING ENLARGED TO INCLUDE ALIGNMENT, SELECTION OF STREAM CROSSINGS, LOCATION OF LAND TIES, DETERMINATION OF DRAINAGE AREAS, LOCATION OF GRANULAR MATERIALS, SOIL SURVEY, ETC. USE OF AIRPHOTOS HAS DEVELOPED AN INTEREST IN GEOLOGY AND AGRICULTURAL SOIL MAPS. GEOLOGIC MAPS, AGRICULTURAL SOIL MAPS, OR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OFTEN POINT OUT PERTINENT DATA, TO THE INTERESTED (ALTHOUGH RELATIVELY UNTRAINED) STATE OR COUNTY HIGHWAY ENGINEER THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO LOCATION, SOIL SURVEY, LOCATION OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, DESIGN, AND MAINTENANCE. SOME OF THESE DATA ARE OFTEN OVER-LOOKED DURING ON-THE-GROUND STUDIES, AND USE OF THESE AIDS USUALLY RESULTS IN LESS FIELD WORK, MORE SATISFACTORY RESULTS, AND REDUCED COSTS. WHERE PURCHASE OF MAPS OR PHOTOGRAPHS IS NOT POSSIBLE, DUE EITHER TO TIME OR MONEY, IT IS SOMETIMES POSSIBLE TO SECURE THEM ON LOAN FROM OTHER LOCAL STATE OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. INTERESTED ENGINEERS WILL IMPROVE THEIR TECHNIQUES WITH EXPERIENCE AND OCCASIONAL ASSISTANCE. MISTAKES WILL BE MADE, LIMITATIONS WILL BE REACHED, BUT THE OVERALL LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY WILL CONTINUE UPWARD, AND THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION WILL GAIN A FEELING OF SATISFACTION FROM THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS MADE. /AUTHOR/