Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-11-17
EFFECT OF GooD ROADS

To determine as far as possible the
exact dollars and cents effect on a
county of the improvement Of bad
roads, specialists Of the Office of pub
lie roads and rural engineering of the
department Of agriculture made eco
nomic surveys in eight counties in
each of the years from 1910 to 1915,
inclusive.
This study Of the Increase in the
values of farm lands in the eight
counties reveals the rather interest
ing fact that following Improvement
of the main market roads the increase
in the selling price of tillable lands
served by these roads has amounted
to from one to three times the total
cost Of the improvements. The in
crease in values In those instances
which were recorded ranged from SO
per cent to 80 per cent in Spotsylva-
MIA county, Va, from IS to 1874 in
Dinwiddie county, Va; 20 to 80 in
Lee county, Va; rs to 100 in Wise
county, Va; 8 to ia in Franklin
county, N. Y; SO to, 100 in Dallas
county, Ala; 20 to SO in Lauderdale
county, Miss; and from SO to 100 in
Manatee county, Fla. The estimates
of increase were based for the most
part upon the territory within a dis
tance of / mile on each side OF the
roads improved.
In Spotsylvania county a careful
record was made in 1910 of So
farms located on the road selected
for improvement. or the seven farms
sold in 1912 the prices actually paid
show increases of from 81 to 116 per
cent over the 1910 valuation. The
average value after the roads were
improved was $28.26 per acre, as
compared with 1871 previous to the
improvement. In 1918 four transfers
OF farm land were ON the basis of
$3O.11 per acre, whereas the proper
ties were listed in 1910 at only $3.50
per acre. 1t appears that the 1851
acres sold in 1914 increased in value
$28,500, OBJ 80 per cent, or from
$24.46 to $44.1O per acre.
In Dinwiddi county, va, the actual
price Of 43 farms sold or offered for
sale from 1909 to 1914 ranged In
price from 1888 to $43.74 per acre
before the roads were built, and
from $24.7O to 1880 per acre after
the roads were improved.
In Lee county, Va, a study of eight
tracts along the roads before and af-
ter Improvement indicated that these
properties increased about $23 per
acre, or about 20 per cent.
In Wise county, Va, a study of
eight representative farms located on
roads showed that they increased in
value from an average of $4,000 per
acre before Improvement to $79.44
after the roads were improved. There
were increases in valuation In other
sections of from $50 to $50 or even
800 per acre.
In Franklin county. NJ Y, the fig
ures seem to indicate that the change
from earth. sandy, and loan roads to
bituminous macadam was followed BY
increases averaging $12.5O per acre,
or about 30.7 per cent.
In Dallas county, Ala, careful In
vestigation seemed to indicate that
road Improvement has added at least
SO to each acre of land within a half
mile Of improved roads. Tracts sold
at from So to $40 per acre were sold
again after improvement at from $40
to $25 per acre.
In Lauderdale county, Miss, the
total assessed valuation of real prop
erty outside Of the city was S2.757,-
646. This increased in 1914 after
road Improvement to $3,183,eOS, or
15.4 per cent. Local real estate men
place the increase in land values on
account of improved roads at from
rs to SO per cent.
In Manatee county, Fla. careful
study of sales and real estate records
indicated that the improvement of
roads has added from is to 100 per
cent or at least SIS per acre. to the
selling price of all lands within one
half mile of improved roads. This
would give a total of $6ll,OO0 or
more than twice the value of the
bonds iaauad