One of the most important phases in the advancement of human history is the construction of roads,

thus considered as one of the most established and detectable illustrations for civilization and society.
The concept of road was first introduced in 3000 BCE, were it is merely a little more than dirt paths worn
down by frequent travel from one location to another by animals accompanied by our ancestors. It was
in the era of the Roman empire that took road building to new heights of engineering excellence and has
made history through its various impacts, notably in how it provided solid unification and largely
extended the life expectancy from the present times to the future.

Roads are specifically considered as "conduits of life's activities", - dedicated channels through
which connectivity, abundance, and transportation can pass on throughout every country. The very
function of a road network is to facilitate movement from one area to another. As such, it has an
important role to play in the urban environment to facilitate mobility. "Roads are the arteries through
which the economy pulses", truly it has been the principal means by which our entire economies and
societies have emerged and grown over time. Though it was originally constructed for trade, and
military purposes, these roads became the means by which our ideas, life, and culture spread from
country to country. Consequently, making the accessibility of goods and services to circulate far more
widely than was economically feasible mobilizing a country's true economic potential.

Process of constructing roads. The process on how our ancestors did to construct roads in their
earlier times were merely made of burned bricksor cobbled stones. For around 334 BC, the Romans
were the first civilization considered as one of the greatest systematic road builders, it was by that era
when concrete was firstly developed which later on permitted the Roman's construction advancement.

The Roman design generally consisted of four layers (top to bottom) as follows:

*Summa Crusta (surfacing): Smooth, blocks bedded in underlying layer.

*Nucleus: A kind of base layer composed of gravel and sand with lime cement.

*Rudus: The third layer was composed of rubble masonry and smaller stones also set in lime mortar.

*Statumen: Two or three courses of flat stones set in lime mortar.

-https://www.funkidslive.com/learn/roads/how-did-the-romans-build-roads-find-out-all-about-old-
roads/

The construction of roads have changed dramatically since the Romans legacy. In today's time, most
of our roadways and streets are paved with asphalt concrete. The process of constructing the modern
roads includes the following three stages; setting out, earthworks and paving construction.
 Setting out. This is carried out by following the data specified in layout drawings. The profile board
method is an example of a setting out procedure, this is used for controlling the excavated levels.

Earthwork. Is considered as one of the major works in road construction. This is where the removal of
topsoil, and any vegetations is performed as well as creating a solid foundation. It is also important to
test the strength of the subgrade since it will determine the required thickness of the pavement.

Paving Construction. The most common used materials for paving roads are asphalt and concrete.
Factors will be assessed such as cost and amount of traffic to determine which materials will be used.

*Asphalt uses an oil-based substance called bitumen to make sand and crushed rock stick together
like glue. After the asphalt is heated to about 300° F, it is transported to the construction site, where
construction crews spread and compact it onto the foundation already in place.

*Concrete also uses sand and crushed rock, but it's held together with cement. Workers must pour
liquid concrete into special steel molds called forms. As it dries, a special finishing machine vibrates it to
make it settle evenly and then trims it to the correct height.

https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-you-build-a-road

Difference between highway and railroad. These two types of modes of transportation though the
same in some sense, they also differ in some areas. In terms of construction, highways are paved with
specified width requirement, while the railroad is constructed with steel rails. The highway is accessible
for movement of any types from small to large vehicles etc., Whereas the railway routes are only meant
for the movement of trains. They also differ when it comes to the width of right of way, where the
highway requires more width compared to railway roads. The railway requires a more elastic structure
compared to the highway route since it is mostly subjected with heavy wheel loads. And also costly
when it comes to construction and maintenance.