The Republican journal., 1916-11-16
HIGHWAY EXPENDITURES,
Increase of More Than $50 Per Cent in
Total Outlay for Roads and Bridges in
Past Twelve Years,

Increase of More Than $50 Per Cent in
Total Outlay for Roads and Bridges in
Past Twelve Years.
Rapid increase in total expenditures
for roads and bridges, growth of build
ing and maintenance activities under
State supervision, and a sharp decrease
in the proportion of contributions in the
form of statute labor, mark the develop-
ment of highway work in the United
! States during the past IL years. These
facts are brought out by statistics for
the calendar year 1915, recently complied
by the Office of Public Roads and Rural
Engineering of the department of apri-
culture.
The total length of public roads in the
U tied States outside the limits of in
c9rporated towns and cities was about
L 52,0o0 miles on January l, 1916. Of
ce't aoout 2Fl,OOO miles, or lib per
tbs, were improved with some form of
SUI facing. The mileage of surfaced
roads has been increasing at the rate Of
about 5000 miles a year, and in 1915
approximately one-half of this increase
was made under the supervision of State
highway departments. In addition.
these departments supervised the main
tenance of nearly $1,000 miles of main
and trunk-line roads.
The increase IN expenditures for road
and bridge work in the United States
mas been from approximately $50, OOO,-
| QUO per year IN 1904 to about 1892. OOO.-
OOO In 1915, an increase of more than $50
per cent. The expenditure of State
funds during this same period increased
from about So, $50, 600 to more than S53.-
600, 900. In addition, more than ST.
900, 900 of local funds was spent under
State supervision IN 1915, bringing the
total road and bridge expenditures man
aged by the States to $80,514, 699. This
amount Is greater than the total ex-
pendltures for roads and bridges from all
sources in 1904.
The growth in Importance of the State
highway department has been rapid. The
hrst OF these agencies was created IN 1891
IN New Jersey, and now some form of
| highway department exists in every
State except Indiana, South Carolina and
Texas. Since their inception these de-
partments mad expended to January l,
1916, an aggregate of $265, $50, 1926 in
State funds for road and bridge construc-
ton, maintenance, and administration.
They had constructed over $4,000 miles
OF roads in cooperation with the States,
More than 10000 miles of these roads
were surfaced.
The falling off in the value of road
work performed by statute and convict
labor was from 500. 1000, 900 in 1904, when
the total road expenditures were $780,
OOO,0 900, to about SIS, 900, 900 in 1915,
when the total expenditures had grown
to S282. 100000 This was a reduction
from rs per cent of the total in the for
mer year to less than IL per cent of
the total in 1915.
An increase in the use of better and
more expensive types of roads also is
shown by the recently compiled statis-
tics. This development has been due. in
large part, to the great increase in auto
mobile traffic. 1t is estimated that there
are now approximately two and one-half
million automobiles in use on the roads
OF the country, or one car for every mile
OF road. This present motor traffic is in
excess OF traffic OF all sorts II years ago.
The cash road and bridge expenditures
of the United States averaged only S28
per mile of rural roads in 1904. In 1915
this average had grown to $l09 per mile.
New Jersey led all other States, both in
1904 and in 1915, with 1921 and S475 per
mile, respectively, Nevada made the
least expenditure in both years-$3. II
per mile in 1904 and SIT per mile in 1915.