The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-07-26
SPEND S15O,OOO,OOO
ON GOOD ROADS
United States Government Plans Exten'
sive Campaign for Next Five Years
Amounts VIII Be Appor-
toned TO the States.

Washington, d. c., July 26.-As th'
first step in the federal goyernment''
part of spending Sl5ooo0,O0O on good
roads during the next five years in CO.
operation with the states, Secretary
Houston soon will announce preliminary
plans for organization and sometime be-
fore Sept. IL will notify the governors
OF states of the apportionment OF federal
funds for this year, \ circular viii also
be sent to all the governors and state
highway authorities outlining a tenta-
tive plan of procedure.
The Sl50,000000 is to be paid half by
the government and half by the several
states, apportioned among the latter ac-
cording to their respective area, popula-
tion and rural mail route mileage.
The expenditures are authorized by the
Shackleford Bankhead good roads law,
the first granting federal aid 10 states
in road building. II was signed July ri
by President Wilson and government Of
ticials are preparing to put its provisions
into early operation. Actual construc-
tion Of some of the roads may begin this
spring is planned.
Appropriations for the present year,
ending July !, 1917, authorized by Con-
gress are S5,000,000. For the four sue
ceeding years they are, respectively, Sl0,-
100000, Sl5,0O0,000, S20,0o0,0O0 and S25,-
100000. The law provides, however,
that no government money shall be
available unless the states spend an
equal amount, matching the government
contributions dollar for dollar
Every cent of the federal and state
funds, the act provides, shall be spent TO
build new roads. Maintenance costs
thereafter must be borne by the states
alone.
Rules and regulations to put the fed |
eral aid law, as it is popuarly known,
into prompt operation are now being |
drafted by the secretary of agriculture,
upon whom devolves practically the en-
tire work of supervising the government
Immediate supervision
will be by the office of public roads and
rural engineering, of which Logan Waller
Page is director,
A conference of highway representa-
tives OF all states and, possibly, of or
yanizations interested in the good roads
engineering experts and 9th
srs. to discuss measures for promulgat
ng the new law is planned soon by Sec
-etarv Houston.
Apportionment among the several
states of the S5,00o,0oO for the first
rear's work will soon be announced by
General Burleson, who is re-
lured to annually certify apportion-
nents because of changes in rural post
cute mileages and population. The al :
otments of the federal appropriations .
will be made by the secretary of agri- q,
ulture, one third being based on the ra- /,
10 which the population of each state =
ears to the total United States popula- !.
Ion. according to the latest census, one
bird in the ratio which the mileage OF
ural post roads in each state bears to
he total national mileage, and ne-third :
4 the ratio which the area of each state
ears to the total area.
The approximate apportionments Of :
his years S5,000,000, less 3 per cent for
expenses, for the New .
,ngland states are as follows: Maine, =
1880; New Hampshire, S2l $50; Yer I
,ont, $4,000; Massachusetts, $4,000; =
.hode Island, $l2,050; Connecticut, $751; ;,
90. ~