The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-01
LEGISLATURE WILL PASS UPON SYSTEM OF STATE ROADS Gov. O'Neal Favors. Trunk System With Capital City
 as Focal Point EXTRA SESSION IS
 STILL UNDECIDED If Called, However, the Solons Will Not Be>Brought Together Un-
 til Some Time Next
 Summer
BY LEWIS s. BETTY.

Montgomery, November 30-(Speciail- Should the legislature be called together in special session next year one of the questions which will be brought to the consideration of the members will be the proposition to establish system of trunk or state roads, converging at Montgomery and leading from the capital city to va rious parts of Alabama.
 It is doubtful if any measure was passed by the last legislature that has met with more universal favor than the act creating the state highway depart ment Unpopular at first, and deemed unwise on account of the large amount re- quired to be annually expended in the construction of state-aid roads in the va rious counties, the work of the depart ment has now come to be recognized as one of the most important ever under taken in the state
 In fact, road construction in Alabama has assumed such importance during the last year that the plan to establish system of trunk highways in the state is receiving the most serious consideration. The bill providing for the creation of the state highway department also provided that plans should be laid before the next legislature looking to the construction of a system of state roads, to be maintained at the cost of the state and the coun- ties
 To the state highway engineer was dele gated the duty to prepare a map of such highways in the state "as are of suffi- f0 tn system of trunk or state roads," to be improved and maintained as the legisla- ture may hereafter designate.
 Gov. O'Nears Plan of Trunk Roads
 With authority given the state highway engineer to present before the next legis- lature maps and plans of a system of trunk roads. and with the hearty en- dorsement which the construction of state-aid roads has received during tho past two years, there is every possible reason for assuming that should the legis- lature meet at any time next year this question will receive much favorable con sideration. *s dorsement. and. having given the ques- ton conSlueraDle thought, ne mas even mapped out a system of trunk roads which he would like to see established in tho state Not that he has any definite plans for the construction of such a sys- tenn or that he expects to see them in operation at any time in the next few years but he has ideas with reference to such highways that may be of advantage in the future.
 Tn the first place Governor O'Nea1 be- lieves that if such a system should be established, all such roads should con- verge at Montgomery as the capital city of the state, from which city they should lead to all the principal sections of Ala bama For example, in discussing the question few days ago, the governor said he would like to see one trunk road leading through north Alabama, extend- ing from Huntsville to Birmingham, and nassing through such cities as Stevenson, Scottsboro Decatur and other places that would lie along the line This might be considered the Birmingham-C Chattanooga road, or it might be desirable to construct state highway that would lead from Birmingham to Nashville.