The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-04-05
IMPROVED TOURING CONDITIONS
More Motorists viii Visit Vermont
This Year.


Motorists who contemplate includ-
ing the Green Mountain state in their
touring itineraries for the 1913 sea-
son will find the following informa-
ton of value, as conditions affecting
touring in Vermont will be found
somewhat altered.
According to reports received by
the touring department of The Au-
tomobile Club of America great
deal of road improvement work is
now being done in the state of Yer
mont and motorists will find a num-
Der of additional roads in a condition
suitable for touring by the opening
of the season.
A number of trunk routes have re-
ceived attention from the highway
authorities. One of these which has
benefited and which will be further
improved runs through North Pawlet
and Wells, then north along the
east side of Lake St. Catherine to
Poulney. This road is being widen
ed, hills cut down, depressions filed
in and heavy covering o.. gravel
put on. 1t leads through a very in
teresting and picturesque section of
Vermont which the motorist has
heretofore been unable to enjoy ow-
ing to the condition of the roads.
This will furnish an attractive al.
ternate during the coming summer, for
the route via Granville and Middle
Granville. This latter route was not
in very good condition during the
/ e..s.r Inc &c L.
ing somewhat shorter than the Gran
yille-Middle Granville route, the al
ternate through Pawlet and Wells
has the added advantage of a seven
mile run along the shore of Lake st.
Catherine with excellent scenery en-
route.
Other trunk routes which are I'M
dergoing improvements and will be
further benefited are the alternate
cross-state routes between Burling-
ton and St. Johnsbury One is via
Williston, Bolton, Montpelier and
Danville TO st. Johnsbury and the
other runs through Essex Junction
Jacksonville. Cambridge, Johnson,
Hardwick and Walden to Danville,
connecting here with the Montpelier
route 10 81. JohnSbury.
Burlington, the burial place of Col.
Ethan Allen, being the gateway into
New England for motorists touring
Lake Champlain or Lake George,
many motorists will have occasion to
pass through this city. Here ten
mile speed ordinance is in effect and
Is strictly enforced by the mayor.
New York state motorists may re-
main in Vermont for an indefinite
period without the necessity of pro-
curing Vermont licenses and registra
tons there being arrangements be-
tween the two states to this effect.
Several amendments to the high
way laws have been enacted recently
in Vermont. One calls for the APP
preparation annually by each town
of a sum not less than one-ifth of
the total taxes for the maintenance
and improvement Of highways. No
snow or winter roads are to be tax
en- care of under this fund, a special
fund TO be raised If needed for that
purpose. Another act gives the
towns the right, subject to the ap-
prevail of the state highway commits
sioner. to designate certain selected
highways to be maintained by patrol
men employed by the state the town
selectmen TO apportion an equitable
part of the total highway taxes of the
town TO be expended for this purpose
together with the money furnished
by the state.
A tax of FIVE cents on the dollar is
to be annually assessed on the total
taxation Of the state for the support
OF highways, the money to be appor-
TONED by the state treasurer to the
various towns according to the
amounts contributed by them, re-
spectively to the total state taxes.
For the permanent improvement Of
highways an appropriation Of $780,
600 is to be made on March I. 1913:
100000 on July l, 113: 100000 on
July l, 1914, and 100000 annually
thereafter. In order to protect the
highways from destruction by ex-
cessively heavy traffic II is provided
that no vehicle weighing in excess OF
five tons shall be driven over the
highways without a special permit.