Arizona republican., 1913-09-28
Mr.. GOODRICH
APPROVES PLAN
FOR GOOD ROADS
Favors Suggestion Of Super
visor Orme for Bond Is
sue, But Advises Thor
ough Investigation Of
Kind Of Roads Needed

To the Editor of The Republican,
Sir: There is much discussion at
the present time not only in Phoenix
and MaricOpa county, but through
out the whole country, about the ne
Cessity for better roads, and as /
have taken considerable interest in
such matters | beg leave to express
my opinion in regard to certain feat
ures OF the local conditions.
Mr.. Lin b .Orme has. 1 think very
properly suggested that some imme-
date action be taken with q view to
issuing county bonds for road build
ing. l am entirely in sympathy with
this plan. l do not, however, believe
that we should act at all hastily in
this matter. but that the board of
supervisors should select a committee
for the purpose of investigating the
situation and accommodating to them
some definite plan for better roads
whether by means of bond issue or
otherwise.
There are many objections to issu-
ing bonds unless they are properly
safeguarded. Many states have dis
covered that their roads were worn
cut and practically destroyed before
the bonds came due and they would
not only have to pay for a dead
horse but issue other bonds for re-
placing these worn out roads. This
has been due partly because of fail
ure to select proper materials and
partly on account of the changed
conditions due to automobile and es
pecIaIly to automobile trIcl5 rafffc
on roads that have not had a suffi-
Gent foundation. We cannot antici-
pate completely what changes there
VIII De IN traffic conditions during
me next fifty years or even during
We next ten years, but it seems to
/ ne that the only safe plan of issuing
b nds is to do so only for such roads
as viii withstand the heaviest traffic
That can be anticipated, and the bonds
should be taken care of by sinking
fund and paid during the expected
life Of the pavement
In my judgment permanent CON
crete base should be provided for all
such roads and the wearing surface
should be as cheap as possible and
still keep maintenance charges within
| reason.
Under our present street improve
ment law it is a simple matter for
some active paving company to Sc
'uit I'tllIlbiS from property owners
who have a IaudabIe desire to i'm
! prove their streets. designating speci-
| fIc kinds of paVemcnts. and while
| these kinds of pavements may be
exactly what is needed on streets al
ready paved and the cost of them
may be justified. yet the people Of
! the county. as well as the people of
| the city. I believe. should be safe
guarded against their own enthusi-
| asm for public improvements
There should be some one whose
| business it is to determine what kind
| Of pavement or road is suitable and
necessary for a certain street or road
way and the property owner could
| then rely on such a selection to get
q proper pavement and at the same
| time protect his pockctbook. The
general principle involved here is
! that the pavement should be ade-
quate to sustain and withstand any
| traffic which could be reasonably ex-
| Dected but no money should be ex-
| pended for an expensive pavement
| where less expensive pavement
would do equally well. The waste of
money in putting down too good
! pavement may mean only a few
| dollars TO the individual spread over
a number of years, yet the total win
amount to a very considerable sum
| which could be better expended on
| other improvements.
ROY S. GOODRICH,
| Phoenix, Ariz., Sept. 81