When did roads start?

The earliest records of such paths have been found around some springs near Jericho and date from about 6000 bce. The first indications of constructed roads date from about 4000 bce and consist of stone-paved streets at Ur in modern-day Iraq and timber roads preserved in a swamp in Glastonbury, England.

Who was the first professional road builder during the Industrial Revolution?

The first professional road builder to emerge during the Industrial Revolution was John Metcalf, who constructed about 180 miles (290 km) of turnpike road mainly in the north of England, from 1765, when Parliament passed an act authorising the creation of turnpike trusts to build toll funded roads in the Knaresborough area.

Why were roads built?

Many roads initially were built to provide rulers with a means of conquest, control, and taxation; in periods of peace, the same rulers usually tried to pass the maintenance responsibilities on to local authorities, adjoining landowners, or the travelers who used the road.

Who invented concrete roads?

The first modern concrete roads were produced by Joseph Mitchell, a follower of Telford, who conducted three successful trials in England and Scotland in 1865–66. Like asphalt technology, concrete road building was largely developed by the turn of the 20th century and was restricted more by the available machinery than by the material.