The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-01-09
vERMoNT's HIGHWAYS
Suggestions Of the States Delegates
to the American Roadbuilders.

to the American Roadbuilders.
The Manchester Journal prints the
report of delegates appointed by the
governor to attend the annual conyen
ton of the American road-builders
association held in Rochester N Y.
Of which the following is an extract:
In our State, the question of good
roads is of much greater Importance
than is generally believed, except by
a comparatively few of our people.
A system Of good roads throughout
the State of Vermont would, we ven
ture to say, add enormously to the
value Of real estate in every section.
Not only would it aid the farmer in
carrying his products to market, but
it would bring into the market for
summer homes, with the incidental
income derived by the State and its
inhabitants, large tracts OF land
which, under present conditions, are
not available. Under modern con
ditions people will not buy country
residences where the roads are bad
Your delegates were also greatly
impressed with the fact that the
knowledge OF building roads suitable
to modern conditions is at the pres
ent time far from complete, although
great progress has been made during
the past few years. The advent OF
motor vehicles Of great weight and
driven at high rates OF speed, has to
a great extent reyolutionized the
plans and methods for roadbuilding
that were until recently in common
practice. 1t Is unfortunately true
that large sums spent by sister
States have been practically wanted.
For this reason we deem 1t fortunate
that our State has taken up this sub
ject in a conservative manner and
avoided mourning large Indebtedness
for building roads unsuitable to the
conditions for which they were in
tended
In this connection we desire to
commend the patience, perseverance
and the excellent judgment of the
Road Commissioner of the State OF
Vermont who has not allowed MIN
self to be carried away with enthus-
iasm. but who has steadily and per
sistently under great disadvantages
carried on and encouraged the work
of road improvement throughout the
State.
1t would seem, however to your
delegates that the time has been
reached when it would be wise for
the state Of Vermont to take further
steps toworad the solution of this inn
portant problem.
The general Typographical condi
/ lions of the State seem to naturally
/ suggest the importance of two high
ways through the State running
north and south on the east and west
/ sides of the mountains respectively
with here and there roads running
east and west giving convenient
means OF passage across the noun
tains.
In view Of the different hnancia
conditions OF the counties, towns anc
villages through which these roads
would run. and also the varying cos
OF building and maintaining roads II
different localities, it would seem tC
be WISE and perhaps absolutely es
sential, that these main highway
should be. so far as their building
and upkeep is concerned directly un
der the control OF the State.
They should be built by STATE
money and maintained by State reve
nue. and so far as possible absolutely
under the control OF the state author
tiles. Judging from the reports We
heard OF conditions in other States
IL would seem advisable that, in ad
dition to the control OF these trunl
lines. a more or less general super
vision over the highways should b'
maintained by a central State au
thority. This, however. is OF mino
importance as the benefits woull
inure more particularly to the local.
ties involved than to the State II
general The cost of the buildini
and maintenance OF such trunk line
would. Of course depend very great
| ly upon the kind of roads construct
ed.
The kind of road which could b
most economically constructed ant
maintained would vary greatly &C
cording to the locality and the ma
terials at hand suitable for road
building. In many localities exec
lent roads could be built at small eS
pense and maintained at low cost
using as material. under proper treat
ment, the supplies Of local grave
which are found in great abundance
In other places. the distance OF tn
road from the gravel banks would b
so great that 1t would be more econ
omical to use crushed stone boun
with asphalt, though roads of thi
character, II properly built, involy
large first cost. ,
Your delegates would suggest, Il
view OF the great varities OF roa
construction, road materials an
methods which are in use through