1 PUBLIC TRANSPORTS ROADS The Romans were masters in constructing roads. Do you know the names of any ancient Roman roads in Italy and where they go to? Trucks, cranes, asphalt mixers, road rollers are other types of construction equipment used to build roads. What is bitumen made from? Use the net to get information. ONLINE RESOURCES A brief history of roads allocated: stanziato availability: disponibilità to bind: legare binder: legante crushed: frantumato drain: canale di scolo earthwork: lavori di sterro to flatten: appiattire gradient: pendenza grader: livellatrice stradale gravel: ghiaia implementation: realizzazione layer: strato maintenance: manutenzion to pave: pavimentare sewer: fogna 174 PUBLIC WORKS Road planning Engineers, surveyors and construction experts are involved in studying what type of road should be made in a certain area, depending on the amount and type of traffic the road will be likely to support. Detailed land surveys are carried out to determine the curvature, the gradient and the itinerary of the road. Other factors that planners must consider include cost, availability of materials, safety and how the new road will affect the community and the environment. Finally, the road project must be approved by local or government authorities according to the investment allocated for the implementation of the infrastructure. Road construction The first part of the construction operations is one of the most important: earthwork. Huge earth-moving machines must be used to create a solid foundation for the road to be built on. Bulldozers and graders move around to create a level surface that will support the road, gravel is added in layers and machines roll over the surface to compact and flatten it. Drains and sewers are installed at this early stage, so that rain will drain away from the road surface and make it easier for vehicles to travel in storms. Land survey for road construction Materials The most common materials used for paving roads are asphalt or concrete. Asphalt is a mixture of aggregates such as crushed rock, sand, gravel. In order to bind the aggregates into a cohesive mix, a binder is used. Bitumen is the most common binder, although nowadays, a series of bio-based binders are also under development with the aim of minimising the environmental impact of the roads. After the asphalt is heated to about 150 °C, it is transported to the construction site, where workers spread and compact it onto the foundation already in place. Concrete uses sand and crushed rock, but it is held together with cement. Once the road is finished, it must be inspected. The next priority is maintenance. Without regular maintenance, roads can rapidly fall into bad condition. Asphalt paving machines