The citizen., 1905-02-10
MODERN ROAD MAKING.
What is Being Accomplished
in Other States by the Good
Roads" Move m n New
JERSEY an Example.

Henry L. BuQu, Com missioner or
Public Roads of the State of New
Jersey. has again directed atten
tion. especially in Maryland where
the good roads movement is rapid
ly progressing, to the road system
of New Jersey and the State
measures that have made possible
the excellent highways of which
that State now boasts. AS a
pioneer in the construction of
modern stone highways. New
Jersey has through her past ex-
periences indirectly assisted many
other States in building good
roads. and the country residents
of Mary land will find much en-
cOuragement and instruction upon
this important subject in consider
ing the great extent and cost of
the annual road building opera
tionS in New Jersey and the eX-
cellent returns in money, progress,
and satisfaction which has result
ed therefrom.
The growth of New Jersey has
been due in a great measure to
her good roads. These induced
occasional visitors from New York,
Pennsylvania, New England, and
other sections of our country to
become permanent residents in
the State. Tuese persuaded others
to follow them, and New Jersey
drew brains, energy and capital
of other States to within her
boarders. To day after persistent
effort in the same direction name
ly, good roads and more good
rOads-New Jersey though forty
second in area has twice as many
miles of good roads as any State
in the Union, and the prosperity
of her people is thought to Justify
the expense which the roads have
cost Maryland is now to expend
annually in the same direction
: liberal appropriation of her State
funds, and benefit commensurate
with the outlay may be expected
as a result.
New jerseys experience with
her good roads has justified the
passage in 1908 of a new State
road law permitting an expendi-
ture for good roads of S400, 900.
Maryland. by virtue of her new
State Aid Road Law, will appro-
pirate annually S2O0,0 for the
same purpose. In the past ten
years New Jersey has appropriated
$l,5l5, 16S and the counties have
spent double this sum. La all
there have been built and are now
under contract over $50 miles of
road, and there are outstanding
applications for about 800 miles of
road for which the State has as
yet made no appropriation.
AS compared with other States,
New Jersey has spent for road
building as follows:
amount. miles.
New Jersey ......S4, $40, 494. .960
COnnecticutt.... 2,233, 600. .454
Massachusetts,. $3.50, 923. .4S0
New York ...... 4,135, 900. .4S4
Has this outlay been justified
by the results? The willingness
of the counties to pledge them
selves for two thirds of the cost
would seem to answer in the affir
native. During the year 1903
Nv Jersey started over 20 differ
ent road improvements, aggregat
ing 100 miles.
Nineteen counties took advan-
tage of the State Aid Road Law
and petitioned for State Aid, and
only two counties in all failed to
demand any portion of the appro-
priation. The counties prepare
for most of their road building in
the winter months and begin con
struction as soon as the weather
permits, aud the activity of some
! of the counties of New Jersey dur
ing this season is remarkable.
Three counties of the State in 1903
completed 2S, 10 and l24 miles re
spectively in addition TO other
roads under construction which
were completed in the next year.
One single New Jersey high
way Improvement in the years
1903 and 1904 alone cost over
500. 600, but in spite of the ex-
pense the State saw fit to finance
the work. This improvement was
the boulevard, 100 feet wide be-
tween Pleasantville and Atlantic
City, connecting the latter with
the Burlington county system Of
roads and making the last link in
the great highway across the State
from Philadelphia to the sea.
Previously the only road between
the mainland at Pleasantville and
the sand bar on which is located
Americas greatest seaside resort
was a narrow ribbon of turnpike
running across bad salt marshes
on the level with the meadows
and often impossible on account
of over flowing tides. The mud
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