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Opening. The first PCC pavement in the U.S. was constructed in 1891 in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Paved roads cam long after the wheel. Sheet asphalt put on a concrete base (structure) ended up being popular throughout the mid-1800s with the very first such pavement of this type being integrated in Paris in 1858 The very first such pavement put in the U.S. remained in Newark New Jersey in 1870. During the Bronze Age the availability of metal tools made the construction of stone paving more feasible. Rudus: The third layer was composed of rubble masonry and smaller stones also set in lime mortar. The law that really got Texas farmers "out of the mud" was the Colson-Briscoe Act of 1949, which . Public Roads, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/96summer/p96su10.cfm] Then, in 1941, the Interstate Highway system construction was sidelined again as the US became more involved in World War II. Road design and construction languished for about 1,200 years thereafter. This pavement was only 3.0 m wide and 67.1 m long (probably what we would call a test section today). The earliest pneumatic tires had major shortcomings in strength and durability [Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, 1985]. The recommended test was to use a bearing block directly on a compacted sample. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. ThoughtCo. So, it should come as no surprise that Sir Walter Raleigh discovered a lake of asphalt when he arrived on the island of Trinidad in 1595. in the Mesopotamia cities of Ur and Babylon. This short view into the past will start with the Romans, then move on to the Macadam and Telford era, then into the first 150 years of asphalt and portland cement concrete pavement. "History of Roads." Collins, H.J. The basic equation used for calculating AASHTO equivalency factors [after AASHTO, 1981]: = inverse of equivalency factors (where W18 = number of 18,000 lb single axle loads, : a function of the ratio of loss in serviceability at time t to the potential loss taken at a point where pt = 1.5, : function which determines the general shape of serviceability trend with increasing axle load applications, SN = structural number (formerly called a thickness index). Paved roads have come a long way since they were first made in 4000 B.C. When did asphalt roads become common? In fact, Trinidad lake asphalt, when loaded bulk into a ship, would fuse to the point that removal required chopping. When were roads invented in America? . This led to Congress passing the Federal-Aid Road Act eight years later in 1916. This law provided $25 million dollars to state agencies for the construction of highways. In 1811 the first contract was awarded and the first 10 miles of road built. Take for an example, renowned author of Little House of the Prairie Laura Ingalls Wilders account of a wagon journey through Topeka, Kansas in 1894: In the very midst of the city, the ground was covered by some dark stuff that silenced all the wheels and muffled the sound of hoofs. Porters paper and a discussion of it by A.C. Benkelman further reinforced the concept of limiting pavement deflections for design purposes. Crawford, C., The Rocky Road of Mix Design, Hot-Mix Asphalt Technology, National Asphalt Paving Association, Washington, D.C. Eckels, S., Distribution of Wheel Loads Through Various Rubber Tires, Proceedings, Highway Research Board, Washington, D.C., December 13-14, 1928. Who invented paved roads? Chan and C.L. The Menai Suspension Bridge in North Wales, completed in 1826-is considered one of the greatest examples of iron works ever built. This design led to the bitumen-based binding called Tarmacadam. That fact became extremely clear in 2005 when the Federal Highway Administration reported that 2,601,490 miles of American roadways were paved with some variety of asphalt. A product of Belgian chemist Edmund J. Desmelt, this modern equivalent of the asphalt paving we use today was put down in front of City Hall on William street. Sports Cars That Make Great Daily Drivers in 2023, The Stars of "The Fast & The Furious", Then & Now, Peek Inside the Coolest Sci-Fi Movie Cars, What It's Like to Be a Mechanic in the Daytona 500, The Most Luxurious Cars You Can Buy in 2023. An indentation of 12.5 mm was used as a target value for obtaining the bearing capacity or subgrade supporting value.. As private areas became established, roads were utilized as a means to access or avoid private regions in cities all together. Bicycle Mechanics Lead the Transportation Revolution We may earn money from the links on this page. Despite how often we use roads, we rarely think about their colorful pasts. Baker, I.O., Roads and Pavements, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1903. The road to Giza is the world's oldest known paved road. The largest permissible load for this type of design was estimated to be 158 N/mm (900 lb per in. He also thought that beginning a massive public works project like this would make sure that returning soldiers could find jobs in road construction. It was not until 1907 that crude oil-based asphalt surpassed natural asphalt production [Krchma and Gagle, 1974]. A product of Belgian chemist Edmund J. Desmelt, this modern equivalent of the asphalt paving we use today was put down in front of City Hall on William street. What's the oldest interstate highway? Unlike a lot of early roads, the National Road was built to last from the start and it was paved with broken stones. Plank roads fell into history, many still lying forgotten underneath today's paved roads. The first macadam pavement in the U.S. was constructed in Maryland in 1823. Toilets are commonly made of After drying they would take them to the site of a temple and set them in place with bitumen. Located on the west bank of the Nile, southwest of central Cairo, at over 4,600 years old, it was used to transport the enormous blocks of basalt for building . What are roads made out of? In fairness, the Carthaginians are generally credited with being the first to construct and maintain a road system (about 600 B.C.) Weight, Horsepower, and Wheel Characteristics of Vehicles on UK Roads 1809 Alas, this did not go as planned. The first paved roads in the world were in ancient Mesopotamia. And so, its quite possible that in another 125 years, the future roadway may take on a shape and form that is barely recognizable by todays standard. With the help of perm rod sets, the 1980s welcomed looser textured curls and the Jheri curl.Although the Jheri curl was invented by a white man named Jheri Redding, it took off in the black community thanks to Comer Cottrell and his partners who formed the Pro-Line Corporation in 1970. As more time passed, people began to build more roads on routes that experienced lots of traffic. Thickness: The thickened edge cross section was less used since a better understanding of temperature induced stresses was made. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Hewes, Highway Engineering, Second Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1962. For the most part, the main Roman roads in the U.K. (total of about 4 100 km) was for military purposes in that they connected camps which were about 30 km apart (or about one days march) [Collins and Hart, 1936; Rose, 1935; Leger, 1875]. By 1900 (as reported by Tillson), it was common to volumetrically proportion PCC as a 1:2:4 or 1:2:5 (cement : sand : coarse aggregate). The History of the World's First Mile of Concrete Highway from the Wayne County Road Commission begins. They were laid along accurately surveyed courses . Roads were divided into 3 classes: main roads, 7.2 m wide; connecting roads to farms, 5.4 m wide; and back roads, built on orders of the seigneurs ( see Seigneurial System). The road to Giza is the world's oldest known paved road. Federal Highway Administration Located on the west bank of the Nile, southwest of central Cairo, at over 4,600 years old, it was used to transport the enormous blocks of basalt for building from the quarries to a lake adjoining the Nile. A sidewalk is normally higher than the roadway, and separated from it by a kerb (spelled "curb" in North . ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/history-of-roads-1992370. How invented the first paved roads? As a side note, the term Tarmac was a proprietary product in the U.K. in the early 1900s [Hubbard, 1910]. The first road use of asphalt occurred in 1824 when asphalt blocks were placed on the Champs-lyses in Paris. This method became the norm. Porter of the California Division of Highways stated in a 1942 Highway Research Board paper: The bearing ratio test was devised in 1929 in an attempt to eliminate some of the objections to field loading tests and to provide a quick method for comparing local base and subbase materials. Goldbeck [1940], in his proposed design method, characterized the subgrade soil in terms of subgrade supporting value in units of pounds per square inch (ranging from 0 to 90 psi). The only improvement made in this time was the passing of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1952 by President Truman. Who invented roads? Statumen: Two or three courses of flat stones set in lime mortar. Postal Service in 1963 to help sort and. Warrens actual patent claim for 727,505 follows [U.S. Patent Office, 1903]: A street-pavement mixture composed of mineral ingredients ranging in grades from three inches down to impalpable powder, from fifty to eight per cent, of such mineral ingredients lying between one-fourth inch and three inches in diameter, in combination with a bituminous binder., In 1910 in Topeka, Kansas, a court ruling stated that asphalt concrete mixes containing 12.5 mm maximum size aggregate did not infringe on Warrens patent (727,505) [Steele, 1986]. Roads were often named according to their termini-Blanco-San Antonio Road, for instance. In 1846, the City of London decided to replace its wood paving slabs with granite [6], which incidentally lead to many a "robust struggle" as people were allowed to just walk off with the old wooden blocks, and many did so for their home fires. Roman road construction was not inexpensive. As an illustration of the results from this test, the measured shear strength of cohesive subgrade soils were evaluated beneath stabilized base courses. Table 2. In modern times, Britain's roads stretch for over 200,000 miles and support hundreds of highway jobs . The mix proportions were set as 1 : 2 : 3-1/2 (portland cement : sand : gravel). Phillips, Developments in Brick Pavements in the United States, Public Roads, Volume 19, No. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Public Roads Administration, Highway Practice in the United States of America, Public Roads Administration, Federal Works Agency, Washington, D.C., 1949. Map of Roman Empire at its height in 125 C.E., showing the most important roads. These bonds guarantee that sub contractors and suppliers are paid and the project is completed at no additional cost to the taxpayers. (after Collins and Hart [1936]). Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Successful Commercial Selling, The Good Year Tire and Rubber Co., Sales Training Department, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 1985. The phrase "All roads lead to Rome" has been around a long time (and is now the title of a movie! On April 20, 1909,construction of the world's first mile of concrete highway was begun in Detroit. Wallick, Robert D. and Stafford, John A., The Miller Act: Enforcement of the Payment Bond, 1964, Duke University Press, http://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3010&context=lcp] The surety bond protects the government and anyone who sells construction materials by holding the contractors accountable. And besides, inner-cities roads were paved. [1. It was estimated by Boorman in his 1908 book that about 33,000,000 m2 of standard asphalt pavement existed in the U.S. and 85 percent of this used Trinidad Lake asphalt as the binder. https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-american-roads-4077442 (accessed March 4, 2023). In 1815, Macadam was appointed surveyor-general of the Bristol roads and was now able to use his design on numerous projects. The first uses of this road asphalt were in Battery Park and on Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1872 and on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C., in 1877. This way, when it rained heavily, water would roll from the raised center of the road and off of the sides, thus preventing floods. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. This act requires contractors to post a performance and payment bond if they are building or repairing any public project. British engineer George Stephenson invented the first train, which was powered by steam. It was like tar, but Papa was sure it was not tar It was like magic.. They were made of large stones, unlike the concrete and asphalt roads we use today. The location in the land of the Sumerian people offered fertile soil and, with irrigation, crops and livestock were raised successfully. However, it was not without new concerns about how these highways affected the environment, city development, and the ability to provide public mass transit. Back in Time: Building Roads. (over 6,000 years before the Romans give or take a few hundred years) (Brown, 1987). The first was installed in 1935 in Oklahoma City. During this time, roads began to be built with raised centers to assist with water draining. Other states felt that, because it was a national project, the federal government should pay for more of it. In 1920, came the improvement of cold feed systems for portable and semi-portable systems. Hveem and Carmany [1948] found the term 6 log EWL could replace in their thickness design equation. 1900. These stone paved streets date back to about 4000 B.C.in the Mesopotamia cities of Ur and Babylon. Rebuilding existing roads starts with peeling up existing pavement, grinding it and dumping it straight into trucks for reuse later as aggregate for new roads. Cars really took off in 1908 when Henry Ford created the Model T.[1. An example of these 22 kN (5000 lb) EWL constants are shown in Table 3. As a result, the Interstate Highway system could not really begin construction until 1953. By 1920, Warrens original patents had expired in the U.S. [Oglesby, 1962]. Eventually, Telford became the Surveyor of Public Works for the county of Salop [Smiles, 1904], thus turning his attention more to roads. At some point in the foreseeable future, instead of adding more lanes to highways, we may actually be able to reduce them as we shift to vehicles that can see and hear far more than human drivers, enabling them to drive closer together while still avoiding collisions, thus requiring less roadway. After grading the surface, pavers come in and lay down fresh, continuous sheets of asphalt followed directly by the rollers. they've been used in many different societies to create paved roads, which were a huge step up from dirt paths . The mixture consisted of 30 percent graded crushed rock or gravel (all passing 12.5 mm sieve, about 58 to 62 percent sand (material passing 2.0 mm and retained on 75 m), 8 to 12 percent filler (material passing 75 m sieve). Just as molecules coalesced into cells and cells into more complex organisms, our first roads were spontaneously formed by humans walking the same paths over and over to get water and find food. Further, PCC hand mixing was still common in 1900 which undoubtedly restricted productivity and accurate proportioning. 1811 The first record of asphalt being used in road building occurred in ancient Babylon in 625 B.C. Apparently, there is no record of traditional roads in the U.K. prior to the Romans [Collins and Hart, 1936]. Of course, there were trucks before then, but virtually all trucking was confined to intercity hauling because of the solid tires of the day which gave a bone-rattling ride and consequent slow speeds. Updated construction estimates of the Appian Way in Italy are about $2,000,000 per km (updated estimates following Rose [1935] and Leger [1875]). The first paved roads were typically found in cities and were used by wealthy people. Steele, G.W. Thousands of years before urban planning, motor vehicles, or even the wheel, the first roads appeared on the landscape. Tillson in 1900 summarized over 109 separate specifications on portland cement fineness. Compare these results to contemporary compressive strengths of 34.5 to 137.9 MPa. In the U.K. during the 1600 and 1700s, restrictive legislation was passed to adapt vehicles to the available pavements (which apparently were in very poor condition) [Collins and Hart, 1936]. Generally, transverse joint spacings were increased to 18.3 to 30.5 m. Experiments were under way in New Jersey and Illinois examining the potential for continuously reinforced PCC (0.3 to 1.0 percent of the cross section area for the longitudinal reinforcement). By the 1850's practically all . Burggraf, F., Field Tests on Shearing Resistance, Proceedings, Highway Research Board, Washington, D.C., December 5-8, 1939. He patented it in 1935 (US patent #2,118,318) and started the Magee-Hale Park-O-Meter Company to manufacturer his parking meters. . How to Protect and Maintain a Parking Lot in the Winter, Get the Best Pavement Repair for Bridges with UNIQUE Paving Materials. The largest public works project to date, this new bill encouraged the adoption of many new and revolutionary asphalt paving techniques and equipment, including electronic leveling controls, extra-wide finishers for paving two lanes at once and vibratory steel-wheel rollers. Table 1 provides an overview of a few of the flexible pavement design procedures available in 1949 [Gray, 1949]. . Goldbeck, A.T. A Method of Design of Non-Rigid Pavements for Highways and Airport Runways, Proceedings, Highway Research Board, Washington, D.C., December 3-6, 1940. Further, the need for more durable pavements was mandated by the changing vehicle fleet. The pneumatic tire was patented in the U.K. in 1845, but did not come into widespread use until about 1925 (80 years later). It is this specific layer which makes the Telford design unique [Baker, 1903]. The first widespread method of national travel came in the form of railroads and trains, which were privately funded and negated the need for roads. The Massachusetts Highway Commission standard cross-section for macadam construction was 150 mm thick as reported by Gillette in 1906. and L.I. John Dunlap, U.K., greatly improved the design of the pneumatic tire in 1888 although only used on cycles until about 1900. The first asphalt patent was filed by Nathan B. Abbott of Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1871. Before, they were provided every 9.1 to 30.5 m. Expansion joints were expensive to construct properly and difficult to maintain. Californias attempts to use static field bearing tests were judged as unsuccessful; hence, the emphasis on correlating pavement performance with a straightforward laboratory test. This roughly translates to about 2,700,000 metric tons of equivalent hot mix (or about three times the annual amount of hot mix purchased by WSDOT). These moduli were used in the formula shown as Note 1 in Table 1.4. One of the longest plank roads, it had been built . Sound familiar? By investigating and testing the associated materials, an empirical relationship can be established between CBR values, pavement thickness, and performance. The hydraulic lime was produced by heating limestone above 850 C thereby driving off CO2 and converting the limestone to CaO. (Note: original asphalt prices from Byrne in 1896.). Bellis, Mary. With much of the 20th century punctuated by hot and cold wars, the need to move the military just as the Romans did led to the development of the modern superhighway, including the German Autobahn and American interstate system. On top of this were placed two layers of stones of 65 mm maximum size (about 150 to 250 mm total thickness) followed by a wearing course of gravel about 40 mm thick (refer to Figure 2). Sheet asphalt placed on a concrete base (foundation) became popular during the mid-1800s with the first such pavement of this type being built in Paris in 1858. The first indications of constructed roads date from about 4000 BC and consist of stone-paved streets at Ur in modern-day Iraq and timber roads preserved in a swamp in Glastonbury, England. determination of shear strength (cohesion and f angle), and. The one material characterization test which had a tremendous impact on design and to some extent still does, was the development of the California Bearing Ratio (CBR). It was only after President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 that the Interstate program got under way. Many gravel roads were later built over with planks. Unfortunately, his plan had many flaws. When were paved roads invented? McAdam, born in 1756, designed roads with harder surface using broken stones placed in symmetrical, tight patterns and covered with smaller stones. However, it is important to note that before that time asphalt had been a widely accepted building material, commonly used as mortar or water sealant. This system of highways existed. States focused on building several small roads instead of interstate highways as a way to provide as many jobs as possible. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-roads-1992370. (in Rome oddly enough). The first true portland cement was produced in the U.K. about 1824 (actually portland cement was patented in 1824 by Joseph Aspdin, a bricklayer in Leeds, U.K.) and in the U.S. about 1865 (from Tillson, 1900). Paved roads have come a long way since they were first made in 4000 B.C. Westinghouse Co., Air Brake Tests, The Westinghouse Air Brake Co., Wilmerding, Pennsylvania, 1904. The year was 1909, and it was a big year in Detroit. Ibid.]. This binder was a combination of Trinidad lake asphalt and a flux oil distilled from crude oil. Strangely, a Scottish man named John Metcalfe, born in 1717 and blinded at age six, built many miles of roads and bridges in Yorkshire, England. Asphalt concrete is a simple product in appearance produced primarily by adding asphalt cement to sand and rock. Angle of transverse joint with the centerline: Most agencies used a 90 joint but 4 percent used a skewed joint of 60. Contraction joints in plain PCC slabs were recommended every 4.6 to 6.1 m. Load transfer devices (dowel bars) were used by about one-half of the states. It now provided funding for a system of paved two-lane interstate highways to be built by statehighway agencies. To adjust these costs to contemporary prices one must multiply by at least a factor of ten. Along the roads it was permitted to walk, pass through . "History of Roads." You might think that government funding came about after cars were invented and gained popularity. By the mid-1800s, Ohio's main roads had been much improved. This new possibility caused President Franklin D. Roosevelt to pass the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1938. [modified after Gray, 1949]. These stone paved streets date back to about 4000 B.C. They viewed the highway plan as another form of Roosevelts famous New Deal economic system. Traffic was characterized in the proposed California thickness design procedure by the following term: This concept evolved into equivalent wheel loads. Our car experts choose every product we feature. These shear tests were conducted with a small, portable apparatus which used a parabolic plate in contact with the soil being tested [1938]. The route of the National Road followed a similar path to a military road (Braddock Road) carved out by George Washington and General Braddock in 1754-55. The best variety of volcanic tuff was found near the town of Pozzuoli (near Naples on the southwestern coast of Italy) and the material acquired the name of pozzolana. Krchma, L.C. The Interstate Highways we use today did not come about easily. But the action of rubber-tire motor-cars moving at high speed soon strips the macadam road of all fine material, the result being that the road soon disintegrates. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell. Palmer, L.A. and E.S. In the end, nothing changed. Some of the survey results include: PCC was first used as a base for other wearing courses in London in 1872 (after Tillson, 1900) and in New York in 1888 (base for stone surfacing). As is illustrated by the Public Roads Administration in 1949, the traffic input into the evolving pavement design procedures of the day varied. This law gave funding to states for them to improve their roads. 1870: America's First Asphalt Road The first application of asphalt paving took place in Newark, N.J in 1870. Sheet asphalt placed on a concrete base (foundation) became popular during the mid-1800s with the first such pavement of this type being built in Paris in 1858. This event was a huge undertaking, ultimately resulting in the first modern asphalt road. In 1992, POM began marketing and selling the first fully electronic parking meter, the patented "APM" Advanced Parking Meter, with features such as a free-fall coin chute and a choice of solar or battery power. "History of Roads in America and First Federal Highway." In the Kansas tests, samples either 70 by 200 mm or 125 by 350 mm were used depending on the maximum aggregate size. And although hard-topped roads were still in short supply even in the eastern part of the US, their construction began to accelerate, with the country's paved highway length more than doubling . Meanwhile, two other bicycle mechanics, brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright, launched the aviation revolution with their first flight in December, 1903. Around 1115 BC the Assyrian Empire in western Asia began what is believed to be the first organized road-building, and continued it for 500 to 600 years. Natural forming asphalt, or brea, also contains mineral deposits. In 1917, Goodyear was convinced that trucks would be tremendously more efficient if they rolled on pneumatic tires. Asphalt concrete is mainly made by adding asphalt cement to sand and rock. In 1901 and 1903, Frederick J. Warren was issued patents for the early hot mix paving materials. Two other Scottish engineers, Thomas Telford and John Loudon McAdam are credited with the first modern roads. Lots of work has gone into the smooth, sturdy roads we take today. By 1925, the annual constructed lane-kilometers had increased to 1530. The strength or bearing capacity of unstabilized materials was usually discussed in terms of cohesion and friction angle (as illustrated by Collins and Hart, 1936). (510) 894-1921 The first modern asphalt facility was built in 1901 by Warren . Apparently, blood (hemoglobin actually) is an effective air-entraining agent and plasticizer (given the mild Mediterranean climate the primary use was likely for workability). Hveem and Carmany in a 1948 paper showed that the thickness of surfacing and base was proportional to the tire pressure and the number of load applications. A brief view of how pavement design, construction and performance has evolved should help provide perspective on present and, possible, future practice. Because of this, he extended his masonry knowledge to bridge building. The use of the triaxial test during the 1930s and 1940s was twofold: Worley in 1943 reported on the use of triaxial testing and modulus of deformation results for Kansas flexible pavement design. Modern tarred roads were the result of the work of two Scottish engineers, Thomas Telford and John Loudon McAdam. What was the name of the first National Road? Road & Track participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Leger, A., Les Travaux Publics les Mines et la Metallurgie aux Temps des Romains, Paris, 1875. The name Magee-Hale Park-O-Meter Company was later changed to the P.O.M. After a $50 wager was set, Dr. Jackson was on the road. The oldest constructed roads discovered to date are in former Mesopotamia, now known as Iraq. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/back0506.cfm]. 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SEWashington, DC 20590 In the 1830s and 1860s, in particular, inventors in Britain, the US, and Canada came out with steam-powered carriages, based largely off the technology developed for railroads, as well as electric. It is suggested that the Romans took up the practice of a military road system from the Carthaginians. Boorman, T.H., Asphalts, William T. Comstock, New York, 1908. . The asphalt was produced from a lake with a surface area of 465,000 m2 (46.5 ha or 115 acres) and a depth of about 24 m. It was estimated by Tillson in 1900 that this lake contained about 8,000,000 metric tons of asphalt (compare this against 1990 consumption in Europe and the U.S. of approximately 40,000 000 metric tons of asphalt binder). In terms of todays costs, this would be about $7.00 per m2 per year or $26,000 per lane-kilometer per year. This evolution accelerated greatly in the 1930s and 1940s as the prior information, hopefully, suggests. For mixed traffic (horses and motor vehicles), however, such a road is by no means ideal and as, in spite of the increase in motor vehicles, the number of horse drawn vehicles does not seem to be decreasing. McAdam's design, called "macadam roads," provided the greatest advancement in road construction. This may have something to do with the simple fact that Greece took full advantage of asphalts building properties. Given the economic and political complexities of building new roads, autonomous vehicles being developed by everyone from Audi and General Motors to Google may turn out to be the best long-term solution to addressing congestion and safety.