# Highway Needs of the National Defense

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Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, pages I–X
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MESSAGE
FROM THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TRANSMITTING
A LETTER FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY, ENCLOSING A REPROT ON HIGHWAY NEEDS OF THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
June 30, 1949.—Referred to the Committee on Public Works and ordered to be printed, with illustrations
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1949
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT TO THE CONGRESS
To the Congress of the United States:
I transmit herewith a letter from the Administrator of the Federal Works Agency, enclosing a report on highway needs of the national defense.
The report was prepared at the request of the Congress by the Commissioner of Public Roads in cooperation with the several State highway departments. In compliance with the request, the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Resources Board were invited to cooperate and have responded with suggestion of the indicated or potential needs for improved highways for the national defense. An expression of the views of the National Military Establishment, which has the concurrence of each of the military Departments and agencies, is appended.
The larger part of the report presents information in detail concerning the condition of the highways of the country and their fitness to meet defense and civil needs, with particular reference to the National System of Interstate Highways. There is indication also of certain measures intended to permit the taking of prompt highway improvement action in the event of a national emergency.
This report is a useful document. I recommend it to the consideration of the Congress in connection with such further provision as may be made for the continuance of Federal aid for highway construction.
Harry S. Truman.
LETTER FROM THE FEDERAL WORKS ADMINISTRATOR TO THE PRESIDENT
Federal Works Agency, Office of the Administrator, Washington, May 27, 1949.
The President, The White House.
My Dear Mr. Presipent: I transmit, with my approval, a report on highway needs of the national defense, prepared by the Commissioner of Public Roads in cooperation with the several State highway departments, and with the advice of the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Resources Board.
This report has been prepared in compliance with a direction of the Congress contained in section 2 of the Federal-aid Highway Act of 1948, approved June 29, 1948, quoted as follows:
“Sec. 2, The Commissioner of Public Roads is hereby directed to cooperate with the State highway departments in a study of the status of improvement of the National System of Interstate Highways, designated in accordance with the provisions of section 7 of the Federal-aid Highway Act of 1944; to invite the cooperation and suggestions of the Secretary of Defense and the National Security Resources Board as to their indicated or potential needs for improved highways for the national defense; and to supplement, not later than April 1, 1949, the report dated February 1, 1941, entitled ‘Highways for the National Defense’ (Seventy-seventh Congress, first session), to reflect current conditions and deficiencies.”
The report is factual in the highest degree. It points to improvement needs on the country’s most important highways that are of such moment as to warrant the most serious consideration.
I recommend the report and request that you transmit it, with your approval, to the Congress.
Sincerely yours,
Philip B. Fleming, Major General, United States Army, Administrator.
LETTER FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC ROADS TO THE ADMINISTRATOR
Public Roads Administration, Federal Works Agency, Washington, May 27, 1949.
Maj. Gen. Philip B. Fleming, Administrator, Federal Works Agency.
Dear General Fleming: The accompanying report has been prepared at the direction of the Congress, to reflect the status of improvement of the interstate highway system, with indicated needs to serve the national defense, and to supplement the report of February 1, 1941, with current appraisal of conditions and deficiencies of the general highway system.
The State highway departments have all joined in a remarkably detailed examination of the mile-by-mile physical condition of the interstate highway system, thus affording for the first time an accurate evaluation of the roads upon which is concentrated the interstate flow of traffic on a Nation-wide scale.
In the preparation of the report, in accord with the direction of the Congress, we have requested and received full cooperation of the Secretary of National Defense. We have also had the suggestions of the National Security Resources Board.
In much the same manner as our great rivers gather to themselves the flow from innumerable other streams and their tributaries, the interstate highway system receives and must carry about 20 percent of the total vehicle-mileage generated by more than 41 million motor vehicles. The system of interstate highways comprises only 1-plus percent of the total of public roads and streets. The high percentage of total traffic reflects its peacetime use. This same limited system of major roads is clearly indicated to constitute the routes essential to defense needs.
Any complacency we may have as to the present adequacy of these major roads to serve in peace or in war is shattered by the evidence presented. The average age of all roadways is 12 years. The average age of the roadbeds on which these surfaces rest is 17 years. After 10 years of a 20-year program of rehabilitation and replacement, now begun, the surfaces on the unreconstructed portion of the system would average about 20 years of age, their roadbeds at least 25 years. These average ages point to the realistic size of the undertaking with which we are confronted.
The most serious deficiency of our highways today, not only the interstate system, but others of greater or less importance, is their lack of capacity to provide for the ever-increasing number of motor vehicles in service. This year the production of motor vehicles at ​present rates will range well above 5 million units. With a substantial allowance for vehicles taken out of service, the increase of vehicles in use, if it could be formed into a moving column, would stretch over 27,000 miles, or once around the world at the equator and 3,000 miles further on a second lap. The use of motor vehicles is the direct support of three of our major industries, without reference to the ancillary spread into numerous other elements of our economy. It seems unnecessary to argue that the annual addition of increments to overloaded and hence unsafe highways, cannot be continued at current rates without major enlargements and increases in the highway systems.
Because of the concentration of traffic on the interstate highway system the deficiencies are acute, particularly within the urban areas, but these inadequacies extend to the remaining mileage of the Federal-aid system, rural and urban, to many miles of the secondary Federal-aid system, and to other roads not included. If we are to have roads that are safe, and if we are to obtain the utility of the motor vehicle with economy, it is necessary to have a program of reconstruction, rehabilitation, and extension of highways consistent with the number and types of motor vehicles now in service, to which extraordinary additions are being constantly made.
The program substantially based on these requirements is clearly set forth in this report.
The report is the fourth in a series made at the direction of the Congress: Toll Roads and Free Roads, April 1939; Highways for the National Defense, February 1941; Interregional Highways, January 1944; and Highway Needs of the National Defense, the present report.
Together these reports provide a historical review of the growthand changing characteristics of our highways in relation to our whole national economy, during both peace and war, and a projection of future necessities based on solid facts whose authenticity cannot be called into question.
They demonstrate the ability of State governments and the Federal Government to cooperate in a study of national problems which have both local and national significance. The contributions of the State highway departments to this report in scope and content reflect a maturing of scientific precision in dealing with the problems. Their cooperation and aid are gratefully acknowledged.
I recommend that this report be placed before the President for transmission to the Congress for consideration of the factual evidence present as a basis for future highway programs,
Very respectfully,
Thos. H. MacDonald, Commissioner of Public Roads.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States federal government (see 17 U.S.C. 105).
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