Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-08-20

ihS ioHc5t dNcIdBe COSt per nile mas
been $5.000-in Southern Maryland and
the highest average cost has been $l34,-
900 for so miles of street paving in the
city of Baltimore. The average cost per
mile this year is estimated at $10,75O.
The State is also building the new Han
over street bridge, which will be the longest
and most expensive bridge in the State.
with its approaches being one and one
half miles in length and costing approx
mately $l,250.000 1t is also spending
$l,900,000 within the corporate limits of
Baltimore. One hundred and sixty miles
Of turnpike have been purchased at an
approximate cost Of $319, 600, and $3.50
miles of turnpike have been taken over
from the United Railways and Electric
Company, making total of 213.5O miles
of turnpike which have been incorporated
in the State system.
In view Of the important nature of the
remaining mileage and upon the estimate
of $4,000 per mile as basis of cost, it
would seem that for the uncOmpleted
mileage Of 200 miles it would be neces-
sary to provide at least 100000 for
roads alone. Many bridges remain to be
replaced with more permanent structures
of concrete. Included in these are the
several important bridges on the Eastern
Shore. 1t is estimated to replace the
present structures with concrete, to assure
the uninterrupted travel of the future, the
sum of $l,800,000 will be required this
sum, taken with the estimated cost of the
remaining highway, would Indicate the
sum Of 100000 as a necessary further
credit to be established by the State, to
provide for discount incident to the sale of
the bonds, to fully complete the great sys-
TEN Of arteries already built.
Now that the system of main arteries
built by the State is practically complete,
sufficient provision for adequate mainte-
nance becomes the paramount necessity :
for the purpose for which this vast work
was undertaken and this great investment
made will be lost unless the roads are
properly preserved and maintained.
The average cost Of maintenance in the
new State highways in 1918 is given as
$434 per mile and $44O per mile in 1914.
On the road system complete il is esti-
mated that the figure Of $500 per mile. on
the total mileage Of approximately 1850
miles, will be necessary for maintenance
on a system Of roads that is new, indi-
eating total amount of between $780,
600 and 100000 as annually necessary
for adequate maintenance. The motor
vehicle tax for 1915 produced the sum Of
$295,S59, Of which 20 per cent. goes to
the city of Baltimore and a proportion to
the State aid roads, there being left $780,
344 for the State system proper. A tax
of per cent. per 500 is now levied for
maintenance, producing about 100000
annually,
In the years 1914 and 1915 the outlay for
maintenance will amount to the sum of
approximately $650.O00 and the receipts
from the motor vehicle tax available for
the State system proper approximately
100000. and from the one cent tax
$l9l,0 together aegreeating $49l 900,
showing deficit for the period of two
years of approximately 100000 to be
made up from the general fund for con
sttuction; the receipts from the motor
vehicle tax must increase materially from
year to year. but il seems safe to say that
it will be found necessary to provide be-
tween 100000 and 100000 annually
by taxation to provide adequate funds for
maintenance and administration, and that
the taxto be levied to provide the funds for
this purpose should be increased to at
least 8 cents per 500; that there may be
no lapse of the time in which decay and
disinteeration may occur. only to impose
a heavier burden later on for more extern
sive repairs.