The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-21
GOOD ROADS IN
DOLLARS AND CENTS
What 1t Is Costing the United States
To Improve Its Highways,
and What II Gets in
Return

Approximately s20600O,oO0 was spent
last year on public roads in the United
States, according to statistics prepared
\ by the U. S. department Of agriculture.
| In 1904 the total was only $79,000,00d.
| In nine years. therefore, the increase has
been over $50 per cent.
This awakening on the part of the
country to the Importance of good roads
has, experts say, been due in great meas
ure to the principle Of state aid to coun-
ties and other local communities. New
Jersey began the movement in 1891 when
it passed its state highway law. Massa
chusetts and Vermont followed a year
later, but for the most part the other
states were slow to move. In 1904 only
10 had state highway departments; to-
day there are only six that have not, In
1918 the individual states appropriated
a total of S37 ,7550ss to supplement To-
cal expenditures
The value of this state aid is, how
ever, not to be measured by the figures
alone for the bulk of the money comes,
and always must come, from the coun-
ties and townships. Thus, in 1912, the
cash outlay by counties, districts and
townships was Sl37, 493.9S5. Complete
figures for 1913 are not yet available,
but il is safe TO estimate the sum at
approximately 1851 100000. To this
must be added some Sl5OO0000 to rep
resent the value of the labor eontribut-
ed instead of cash in districts where this
practice prevails. Last year, therefore,
local communities contributed in round
numbers Sl60,000,000 as against appro-
priations from state treasures of S3s.-
I55ASS The true Importance of this |
S3S 900 900 lies in the fact that il means |
expert supervision OF the expenditure of
A considerable portion of the vast sum |
Of 500, 100000. When each county built /
as it chose and when il chose, the serv
ees of trained engineers were usually /
out of the question. There was little
TO test innovations, little
advance in the science Of road building, /
md there was also difficulty in arousing
ZACH county individually TO do its best
o improve conditions within its own
limits State aid has changed all this.
The best engineering skill is available
or sill works OF Importance. there IS
cooperation and a constant stimulus to
urther improvements. The money con-
ributed BY the state does not only build
more rosds, il makes better those that
ther money builds.
At the present time there are in the
-nited States 20,74l miles OF roads inn
roved either wholly or in part by state
id. This is nearly the mileage of the
'rench routes nationales, the system of
reat national highways which is the
nvy Of every civilized nation. The
outes nationales are. of course. only a !
nall part of the total mileage of France,
here practically every road of any inn
ortancc is an improved road, and France
a vastly smaller country, both in area
nd in population than the United
tates. so that this comparison is not,
itself very fattering to our progress
veness. II shows, however, that we
ave at least made beginning. Of the
12G SO miles Of roads IN the United
.ates. 223.774 miles. or approximately
per cent. are classed as improved.
To improve the remaining % per cent
ny well seem big job. II i. in fact
ilv made possible because the work
ally paws for itself. From material
Uttered bv the L. :. department OF
riculture. il is now possible to prove
Il only that good roads are a profitable
rcstmcnt. but TO determine exactly
hat dividends they paw. An investiga
p assigned to this problem in any Civ
locality first asccrtains the extent ~
p territory that Is tributary 10 any
ain road. much as one might ascertain
e. territory tributary 20 some river.
BE- step s. .an accurate estimate
the total products Of this territory
much grain. 80 much tohacco. 50 much
rdeu truck, etc. etc. OF this quantity
certain portion is consumed on the
-m; the rest IL shipped over the road
question. The whole calculation can