Road construction season is on. While waiting in line for the flag person to eventually give the stopped traffic the go-ahead with the fluorescent SLOW sign, waving back and forth. These are called traffic control paddles.

The Romans invented concrete (opus caementicium) and were great road and bridge builders. Roman concrete, like any concrete, consists of an aggregate and hydraulic mortar – a binder mixed with water that hardens over time.

The aggregate varied and included pieces of rock, ceramic tile, and brick rubble from the remains of previously demolished buildings. Reinforcing elements, such as steel rebar, were not used.

There remain a number of heritage bridges from the beginning of what we know now as our Trans Canada Highway. These are sometimes seen overgrown and lost in time as we speed by and utter: “there’s an old bridge!”

Use the delay, when stopped and waiting during this highway construction season to reflect on the new and old concrete bridges and why jobs are important. The Ontario government’s Northern Highways Program will invest $624 million to repair highways and bridges in the north creating or sustaining hundreds of direct and indirect jobs. These programs sustain Ontario’s transportation network while strengthening the economy.

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