Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-04-04
prrrrn ROADS FOR VERMONT


BETTER ROADS For VERMONT
This is the season of the year when
every piece of macadam or other per-
,nanentlv constructed road in Vermont
4. an object lesson as to the value as
well as the economy of improved high
WAYS When a PERSONS carriage pas
ses from q long stretch Of mud In
which wheels sink a third Of the way
to the hubs. to a section OF crushed
stone roadway as hard and as smooth
as floor, II Is a time when no argyll
ment for permanent roadway is need
ed. The stone roadway speaks elo-
quently for itself
1t is "A great victory for the cause
Of good roads. therefore, when the
road commissioners Of any town con-
struct a piece Of good road where
plain mud grew before, even though
the Improvement may not at first OK
tend any considerable distance. We
have in n,ind the splendid roadway
which South burlington has construct
ed on the road from Burlington t.
Shelburnc just south of the bridge
over Potash brook to match the ma
cadam road constructed nearly to the
resident OF South Burlington who is
not convinced Of the wisdom and
economy OF that piece of work let hin,
drive load over that bit of road rs
firm and smooth as n rock and then
plunge into the mud on either side.
Be this as It may 1t will unquestion-
ably be much easier for the town to
double the extent of this work the
coming season than 1t was to build the
first stretch.
To take another case. let the streets
of Burlington and Rutland be compar-
ed by n resident of some third town
at this time of the year, and we be
lieve that after he has ridden
smoothly over dry streets in this city
and then plunged through the mud
which covers the greater part OF Rut-
lands streets. he will vote that goot
roadways are the best Investment Z
town can make. Rutland is a hust.
ling city, but IT needs some live ener.
getic man to advocate a project to pro
vide a system of improved roads foi
the city II Rutland's streets were pu'
in first class shape. it would max,
every other city in the State hustle
to keep up with Its growth. Mayor
elect Richmond is already awake t
tho need OF this great public i'm
provement and we would not be sur
prised to see the Marble City strike {
| new pace of progress under his ad
| n7inistration.
coming aroused to the need as well a.
the economy of permanently con
structed roads. and It is interesting
in this connection to note the oXten
to which towns are availing them
selves of the provision for State ali
under recent legislation, according t.
figures furnished by the state high
way commissioner. 1t appears tina
III towns have taken advantage of tn
act appropriatng $4,000 to be dis
tributed to towns If they vote al
equal amount for the construction O
have voted an aggregate of $45 ,oC
under this act This assures the con
struction OF $4,000 worth OF perman
emit roads in Vermont the presen
season in addition to the 500, 900 wort
OF permanent highways to be con
structed by towns in order to entitl
them to their share of the proceeds {
the regular State road tax of Ave cent
on the dollar OF the grand list.
There was time when the annus
expenditure OF $4,000 on permaner
highway in Vermont would ha,
been regarded as utterly Impossible
but at tho present time we are carryin
on this work without feeling it. O,
people can now sec that this metho
Of accomplishing road improvemer
is producing the most satisfactory r.
suits, and In ten years there will
TRANSFORMED ton in the condition
Vermonts highways.