Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-12-18
GOOD ROADS in ILLINOIS.
Paper Read by A. N. Johnson. State Engi.
neer, Before Iowa Good Roads Commits.
sion at Council Bluffs.

and bridges in Illinois in 1905 was
spent for bridges. In number of
counties sixty per cent of the amount
spent for roads and bridges was for
bridges so that this feature of high
way work is one of particular impor-
lance in Illinois. A casual investi-
CATION only was necessary to establish
the fact, however, that majority of
the bridges were about half the re-
quisite strength and many cost APP.
proximately twice what they should.
The reason for this can be summed up
as due to the lack of skilled supervi-
sion. 1t is not expected that COM
missioners and supervisors are en-
gineers, yet they must expend the tax
payers money for bridges, about
which they know nothing. nothing
about the requisite strength. nothing
about the proper cost. To correct
these conditions. the Illinois Highway
Commission offers free of charge to
the local highway officials, designs,
estimates, and specifications for high
way bridges of all kinds, and the
demand for this aid indicates that it
will be one of the most important
phases of the work of the Commits
sion
Scarcely a township in the state
but has very small bridges with plank
floors, and in many cases plank for
the abutments. which are a source OF
constant danger to the travelling pub
lie and an endless expense to the tax
payers. 1t is within the means of
every township to replace these small
bridges, that is, bridges with spans
to fifty feet, with concrete structures.
Some townships may prefer or be able
to build but one or two of these
bridges year. but the most economi-
cal plan would be to construct all at
one time, making a systematic survey
of the township sufficient to decide
what size of bridge should go in at
each place.
1t is the constant endeavor of the
commission to raise the standard of
bridge construction ard encourage the
adoption of the most suitable and
economical materials that a given
condition requires. Highway bridges
are to be found in every community
and the Importance of their proper
design and economic construction has
been too long neglected. The intro
duction of permanent reinforced con-
crete bridges will be urged in every
instance where this form of design
can be appropriately used.
By the means of farmers institutes
much of the misconception and I'M
founded prejudice against the High
way Commission has been entirely
dispelled and practical interest
aroused on the subject of road and
bridge improvement. In Illinois any
plan of highway work which does not
appeal to the common sense of the
members of the farmers Institutes is
doomed to failure.
There is large field of operation
for State Highway Commission in
Investigating and finding out what
are the best methods to be used under
certain conditions and, having found
them out, making them known to
everybody. Let it be known that
every commissioner can, for the trou-
BILE of asking. get advice on all mat
ters of road and bridge building that
in fact the Highway Commission is a
bureau of practical road information
based on the best and most up to date
methods. What is needed for the pre-
sent is TO get better results without
increased taxation, and it is on this
one principal alone that the work of
the State Highway Commission is
based.
A Garner man hearing his COW ma