Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1915-07-30
nAyoAS RADICAL REVISION or
THE STATE ROAD LAW.

Mr.. H. F. Byrd, candidate forl
he State Senate. issued today a
tatement on modification of the
tate road law, Mr.. Byrd has
'een declared the nominee of the
Democratic party for this Office
without opposition. His state
nent is as follows:
TO the Voters of Frederick and
and Shenandoah Counties. i
In Frederick and Shenandoah
the state aid road law
has signally failed 10 accomplish
the development of a system of
improved public roads. for which
there exists an aroused and in
telligent public demand.
AS candidate for the State
Senate, l beg to give my views
ss to notifications of the ex-
listing law so as to render the ex-
penditure of the state aid fund
more effective and to meet more
fully the popular conception of
the aid, that should be extended
by the state, to the counties for
road development.
The state of Virginia expends
the sum of $5OO,OO annually for
road improvement, this fund be.
ing apportioned among the coun-
ties of the state.
Before availing itself of state
aid, each county must contribute
the same amount as the state,
the joint fund being disbursed
entirely under the control of the
State Highway Commission.
The law provides for the con
struction of permanent" roads
the cost Of the state aid road.
ranging from 50, 500 to $4,000
per mile.
And proceeding on the SUPPOSE
/! ton that it is possible to construo
permanent roads, no provision i:
made for their maintenance.
AS no road is permanent, the
underlying principle of the ex
listing law is wrong.
Based on a condition which i,
is not humanity possible to attain
the law is neither logical or sen
sible.
The theory of The construction
of permanent roads has rendered
the law inective and the rigid
adherence to the costly type Of
construction has prevented f1exi
biIity to meet local condition.
| and requirements.
A practical revision of the Vir
ginia road law must take cogni
zance of the impermanancy O.
roads and the necessity for regu
lar maintenance.
And that the value of genera
road development in agriculture
localities, where produce must bt
hauled often many miles, lies il
the continuity of good roads; mo-
in the construction of an isolated
| mile of modern road connected
with unimproved roads, but in a
comprehensive system of ip1porv'
ed roads.
The same horse power is re.
quired as if the entire highway
travelled was unimproved.
Just as chain is as strong as
| its weakest link, so is road as
good as its worst part.
1t is better to improve gradual
~ along scientific and logical
lines many miles of road than to
construct a mile or so of costly
road and rob all other county
roads of any participation in the
state aid fund, as we'll as the
local road fund.
The improvement of all roads
to general standard varying
necessarily with traffic conditions
is the only practical scheme of
road development.
Therein, in my judgment, lies
the very essence of any compre-
hensive road development, and
which, under the existing law, is
not possible.
1t is because of the impracti.
cability of this law that Frederick
county has not availed itself of
its full apportionment.
The Board of Supervisors have
felt that the county would not
receive fifty cents value for every
dollar spent.
HOW TO BE MODIFIED
ID By providing practical plan
OF systematic maintenance.
~ By permitting the expenditure
of state aid funds ON four different
types of roads varying in cost, so as
to be adaptable to the differeLt con.
ditions.
% Localizing the funds so fa- as
;ek