The Yale expositor., 1911-07-20
WHAT GOOD ROADS DO COST
New York to Expend Over $4,000, 900
This Year In Repair
Work.

How few automobilists and tourists
realize as they glide over the good or
bad roads of New York state what
the upkeep of these highways and by
ways is costing their town, county and
state, and indirectly them. If they
would stop to think of this there would
be much less profanity when one
chances upon a mud puddle difficult to
dodge.
In the first place, the average, or,
rather, the majority of tourists have
no idea of the number of miles OF
roads in New York state which must
be annually repaired, oftentimes semi.
annually. Frank d. Lyon, the deputy
commissioner of the state highway
department, has furnished statistics
and information on this subject which
are not only startling and surprising,
but vastly interesting to motorists.
There are in the Empire state So
900 miles of roads, greater mileage
of which is improved highway than
all the other eastern states put to-
gether, not including Massachusetts.
| There are now 1000 miles Of state
roads and more under construction.
There are macadam roads totaling In
mileage 2400, constructed by towns.
There are more than 100000 miles OF
earth roads, properly shaped and
crowned, stones picked and removed,
depressions filled, culverts and bridges
repaired. Towns have constructed
5000 miles of gravel roads, In first
class condition.
To keep these roads navigable, so to
speak, shape means work, systematic,
untiring labor on the part of great
corps of people. The state is divided
into nine districts, with Mr.. Lyon In
actual charge of these. Each district
has superintendent, an assistant to
Mr.. Lyon. Then the state is again
subdivided into forty-four couhties I'M
der the supervision of fifty-four super
intendents, who in turn are answerable
to the nine assistants of Mr.. Lyon.
Then it is further subdivided iuto 934
towns, under 934 town superintend-
ents. By this system Commissioner
Lyon can reach within twenty-four
hours after notification any road in
the state in need Of repair.
Work of construction and repair Is
now at its height, and Mr.. Lyons re-
port Of recent date showed that on one
particular day there were $4,000 men
and teams on the roads Of the state.
Cooperation on the part of automo-
bilists with the state authorities Is
urged by the state highway depart
ment. Mr.. Lyon asks that tourists
running across anything wrong with
the roads Immediately report the same
to him. In this way tourists--'those
who are actually using the roads
will not only aid the state, but them
selves, in keeping the highways In the
best of condition.
1.-THE upkeep Of motor cars" says
Mr.. Lyon, twill this year be reduced
40 per cent. in my mind, on account
of repairs to highways being made"
Towns are this year raising by
taxes for highway improvement the
sum of $2,504, 675.23. The state is
turning over to the towns to aid them
in this work $1,593,070. Bridge work
during the year 1911 Is to cost $685.
414.63. The amount to be paid out for
new machinery is $1S0,011.25. Special
road improvements in towns of the
state are to cost $279, 706.22, making in
all $5,185,S77.33 to be expended by
towns this year.
The state is to bond itself for $19.-
100000 for the construction Of state
roads. Towns and counties are to be
called upon to provide as their share
$5,0OO,000. The state Legislature has
appropriated $1,S00,000 for the main
tenance Of state roads already con-
structed.
The sum of $21,ss5,s77.3s is to be
expended In one year for road con-
struction and Improvement throughout
the great Empire state-that is, this
amount is available for the work, and
in all probability will be utilized by
the state depa rtment of highways.