Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-08
YER MONT'S IMPROVED HIGHWAYS

VEHMONTS IMPNoNED HIGHWAYS,
While an occasional stretch Of hirh-
way like that which so long existed
In the vicinity of Winooski park in
Colchester tends TO give color to the
assertion that Vermont's roads arc In
deplorable condition, the fact rc-
mains that as rule the country roads
In the Green Mountain state are far
better on the average than those in
most States. AS has already been
stated, the road authorities have been
putting the highways In Cnltterden
county In as good condition as possible
In preparation for the Champlain cello
bration, SO that tho excellent roads
in this vicinity may not be n fair cri
terion Of the condition of tho thor
oughfares In general throughout tho
state; but our general statement as
regards the comparative nevis OF
Vermont's road system holds rood.
We find excellent substprtiation OF
the current issue OF the Rrattloboro
Phoenix. which is IN position 70
speak !ntellgen:ly as well as with an.
thority concerning the road conditions
In It's immediate vicinity. Tho Yhoc.
nix says:
There are people in every Vermont
10 ut,
cr!ticize tho condition Of Vermont
highways and 20 compare them with
Massachusetts highways, reaching the
conclusion thot tho Vermont roads are
inferior to :hose OF Massachusetts.
Tho conclusion is unjust SO far as It
relates to the country highways not
maintained by State money Nassa-
chusctts is a progressive state. in the
matter OF highways rs in most other
things. and she boasts Of many moro
miles OF State road thnn Vermont
possesses but tho average Vermont
town would not tolerate for n single
sonsor the conditions which character-
lie tho ordinary roads in the average
Massachusetts, town. The main thor
oughfare between BrattlebOro and
Springfield furnishes a striking exam
pie Of the difference between roads
maintained by state money and roads
not 20 maintained In Massachusetts.
Apparently no effort is made to keep
the stretches OF highway outside the
state road in good condition, but on
the contrary there appears to be
disposition to let them take caro- of
themselves. The road commissioners
in the various Vermont towns would
not feel that they had given their re-
spective towns al equivalent for their
salaries If they DID not keep the or
binary highways in better condition
that are those in our nctghborirg state
to the south to-day.
We believe that as Il rule the news
papers In other sections of Vermont
bear out the statements made ly the
Phoenix as regards the attitude ana
the different towns In their immediate
vicinity. Certain It is that the object
lessons afforded BY the stretches OF
permanent roads constructed In ac-
cordance with the requirements to en-
title the different towns to their por-
ton of the proceeds Of the state high
way tax. hns had gratifying as wcu
as farreaching effect, ana there ll|
probably not single community I'm
Vermont which does not know from
experience what good permanent
road should be and is. when a COM
munity has used a fine piece % pevma-
nent road argument in favor of i'm
proved highways is no longer nccos-
sary to Its inhabitants. rho only
question which remains for them e
how to get moro money for better
roads. This explains IN part tho gen
eral excellence Of Vcrmont'S roads.