Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21
GOVERNMENT SPENDS
VAST SUM ON ROADS
Austria for Last Hundred
Years Has Supervised
Highways.

In Austria's road system, reputed TO be
one of the best in Europe. there are
54.26' miles of highway, 20OO0 less miles
than are in the state of Illinois. although
the country is approximately twice the
area of the state. No estimates of the
original cost OF the Austrian system re-
liable enough 10 be worth repeating ever
have been made.
In 1910. however. the government eX-
pended sJ,J6S coo to maintain 10.00S miles
of what is called there government high
ways inclusive of donations made toward
the construction and reconstruction of
certain non-sovernment roads.
There are four classes of roads in Aus
tria- The first class are the government
roads-those which are used for military
purposes, etc. Second. there are the pro-
vincial roads. which connect districts of
large area. The province may he nkened
to the state in this country. Third, are
the district roads, which connect towns
or are tributaries of other roads or lead
TO railways. The district corresponds to
our county. Fourth. or town class, are
the roads which are not included in the
other classes.
Difference in Administration.
The difference in classification comes
from the difference in administration. The
province. district and town looks after its
own roads. The current cost of ordinary
maintenance is obtainable only from the
government roads. This includes the con-
struction OF bridges, erection of guard
houses. tool magazines and purchases of
machinery. Materials used for bridges
and culvertS are wood. iron and rein
forced concrete of the types found every
where in the United States Roads are
surfaced with macadam and telford. Tar
is used a binder almost exclusively.
II is claimed that the tar. besides keeping
dust down. increases the life of Austrian
roads from two TO three years, although
government engineers agree that the du-
rability of the aggregate has more to do
with the life of the roads than does the
binder used The average width of the
roads is from twelve TO sixteen feet. with
walks two feet wide on either side. a
majority of the roads built in the past
four years are eighteen and often twenty
feet wide. however.
The cost of construction and reconstruc-
ton of government roads are betrayed
out of the current government revenues
No special taxes for roads are levied. In
case any particular community is par
ticularly benefited. however the govern
ment withholds the right TO apportion the
expense equally.
Supervision of Roads.
Supervision of roads is in the hands
of graduates of government schools,
known as district engineers. Each has
charge of only seventyfive miles of
road. Under them are roadmasters who
have charge of twenty-four miles of
highway. These men supervise the road
crew which has to perform all the work
required TO keep in order about three
miles of road. There are in all about
1000 men employed on government
roads. Salaries are low. Engineers re-
ceive from s400 TO $500 per annum
roadmasters from $50 to $500 per year,
and Keepers from SIS to sic a month.
All workers are allowed a pittance
for expense money.
The government keeps a severe check |
on all its men connected with road |
work. They are required to make fire.
ouent reports showing definitely where |
every cent of money had gone and the
exact progress of the work.
The salient features of the Austrian |
5! stem. which should be followed with |
success in the United States, are, first, |
of highway control, the federal SUI
pervision of all work, and the curtail- |
ment of waste to the minimum. Sec
ond. the minute control of the roads |
TO anticipate any serious deterioration |
Austria regards its roads as of
its greatest economic assets ana to
them mas gone fair share of the gov
ernment's attention for more rnan 100
years. The United States government
spent $4,000 on good roads last year.
Austria more than 100000 on one
seventh its total mileage.