When we visited the Cape Verde islands a few years
ago, their roads are made the same way, but instead of
wood, they use small cross-sections of columnar
basalt. The islands are practically made of basalt. (a
volcanic rock that crystalizes into regular-shaped
columns, kind of like clay forced through an opening) 
It was a little bumpy to drive over, but not bad, and
probably a whole lot cheaper to make then it would
have been to import asphalt. It's also a whole lot
more durable and easier to repair. 

Pictures of columnar basalt
http://www.lcc.ctc.edu/departments/natural_sciences/pictures/colbasalt.xtm

You can sort of see the road here. 
http://www.nigelspencer.co.uk/pictures/other-country-pics/cape-verde/road.jpg

AAAndrew

--- Peter B  wrote:
> Peter,
> Yeah, I remember when they pulled up the tram tracks
> in Sydney (a sad day)
> some of the roads had wooden blocks under all the
> layers of asphalt.
> Can you imagine the cost of "paving" a road in
> 'parquetry' blocks in these
> modern and supposedly more enlightened times.
> 
> Peter B in sunny Australia
> 
> Peter Huisman wrote:
> 
> >In Perth, Western Australia, and I believe places
> as far
> >
> >away as London England, many streets were "paved"
> >
> >with wood blocks from our forrests. They were
> subsequently
> >
> >surfaced with bitumen and, eventually pulled up
> after decades
> >
> >of service.
> >  
> >
> 
> 
>
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