The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-02-01
LOOK TO 63RD
CONGRESS FOR
GOOD ROADS AID
Expected That 1t Will Devote
Time and Attention to
Subject
FOUR DIVISIONS IN THE
HIGHWAY PROBLEM
National State, County and
Town Subdivisions In
Development

That the sixty-third congress Of the
United States viii devote much time
and attention to the establishment OF
a national policy OF road building Il
unQusstionsd- What that policy will
DO IL yet to be determined. Having
in mind the establishment Of . safe
and sane policy Of highway construc-
tion, the second Federal Aid Good
Roads convention has been called by
the American Automobile assoctA,
ton to meet In Washington, d. @.
March 8 and Z. primarily to conoenr
trats the thought and crystaliEs the
good roads sentiment of the country
at large along practicable and eout-
able lines OF federal participation In
roads building.
Every state will have oficial repre-
sentation through q delegation named
by Its governor, which in many In
stances includes the state highway
engineer, or member OF the highway
commission Of the state. The bust
ness organizations OF the country win
be represented by delegations ap-
pointed by the leading chambers OF
commerce and boards OF trade. The
farmers will have representation
through delegations named by the
various state oranges, and the organ
lied motorists and road users
throughout the country are alive TO
the Importance Of this nationwide
gathering of good roads enthusiasts
In outlining a feasible road building
policy, Chairman Diehl. Of the A. A
A. national good roads board, makes
the following comments:
The highway development OF the
country might very properly be di
vided into four great subdivisions
National roads, by which Is mean
the main trunk highways OF state
north and south, and east and west
A fair estimate OF the mileage o
such q national system Of roads woul,
not exceed q total Of 10000 miles
Such national highways would natur
ally bear the brunt OF transportation
passing az they would through thu
large centers Of population. through
the capitals Of the states, connecting
such capitals with each other and
with the national capital. thus form
ing a complete system OF interstate
highways. II Is with the construc-
ton and maintenance OF such nation
al highways that the federal govern
ment should be concerned, and the
burden of their construction and
maintenance should be borne by the
federal government unaided by the
states. Moreover. the type Of gov
eminent highway should be as nearly
perfection as tho knowledge OF pres
ent-day highway engineering could
contrive, and would serve as a model
In each state, thus establishing a
proper standard OF road building,
which would place the United States
high In the ranks OF the worlds road
builders.
with the national system OF high
ways constructed and maintained by
the federal government, the states
have large field for road activity
In caring for the state system, and
here we arrive at the second OF the
great subdivisions OF road building
Such state highways should include
all roads connecting the county seats
with each other and with the capital
OF the state. and would-be branches
OF the main trunk or national high
ways. They should be built at the ex.
pense OF the state alone. without as
sistance from the counties or town
ships; likewise the maintenance OF
state roads should be borne by the
state alone.
THE third subdivision In q work
able road building policy IL again a
matter In which the states alone are
concerned. and might properly be
designated as the county roads sys'
tenn, meaning the highways which
would form the main market roads
In each state, and make weii-de
veloped system OF highways in each
county, the central point OF which
would naturally be the county seat
Such county highways should be pait
for at the Joint expense OF the state
county. and township, in such proper
lions as would best meet the needs
OF the various states.
Lastly we have the town high
ways, which form the fourth subdi
vision In the system. Such towI
highways might best be governed b!
the town superintendents. and woulC
vary as the local conditions Of eaci
town would demand. They should b.
built Jointly at the expense OF thu
stat4 and the town, the cost beins
borne equally, both for constructions
and maintenance In this manner
system OF town highways would M
into the county system, Just as the
county system would become a part
OF the state system, and that In turn
a part OF the national highways.