The science of good road building is an old one as evidenced by the many highways in Europe which have withstood the wear of travel for centuries. Most of these famous roads were cut from solid rock or built of crushed stone of such a character as to be unaffected by weather conditions. Modern road building, however, has been largely influenced within the past fifteen years by the enormous increase in the amount of travel due to the automobile. This has not only been the means of developing new road surface to meet the more severe requirements of this type of vehicle but it has developed a country-wide interest in good roads, thus making it possible for the enthusiastic travelers to take long tours without meeting the formerly ever-present bugaboo of bad roads, besides making the ordinary town-to-town travel more satisfactory.<br><br>It is with the idea of giving a clear conception of the engineering problems involved in road building, that is, laying out of the road by the best and easiest route, the questions of grade, contour, and drainage, and the construction of culverts and bridges, that this treatise has been written. The author has had long experience in the field of highway construction and has treated the different types of roads in a very complete and practical manner. Natural soil, gravel, broken stone, bituminous macadam and concrete roads are all carefully treated, not only as to material, but as to the best methods of laying them. The city pavements are also given due consideration, accompanied by typical specifications for the new surfaces developed for boulevards.<br><br>Altogether, the article covers the entire field of road building, both city and country, and should appeal either to the highway engineer or to the untrained reader who has merely a passing interest in the subject.