Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-11-17
liz. 1916.
HOW COOP ROADS HELP.

Occasionally a prolertyowner facing tax for
road.inprovement raises the point that he will
ceiye no direct benefit from the Improvement Ob
jections of this kind answered bv official stats
ties in the department of agriculture AT Washing
ton. and though conditions in Hawaii are in some
respects different from those the mainland the
general principle holds good here as there.
To determine far as possible The exact dollars
and cents effect on county of the Improvement Of
bad roads specialists OF the Office Of public roads
and rural engineering of the department made
nomc surveys in eight counties in each Of the wears
from 1910 10 1919. inclusive
This study of the increase in the values Of farm
lands in the eight counties reveals the rather inter
esting fact that following the Improvement Of the
main market roads the increase in the selling price
OF tillabe farm lands served by the roads has
amounted 10 from To three times The total cost
of the improvements. The increase in values in those
instances which were recorded ranged from 6:i per
cent 10 80 per cent in Spotsyyania County. Va;
FROM 6S 10 l9I in Dnwiddie County. Va: 20 TO 50
in Lee County, Va. % To 100 in Wise County. Va:
9 IL IA in Franklin County y. Y; 80 TO 100 in
Daast ounty. Ala; - To 30 in Iauderdale County.
Miss: and from 80 10 100 in Manatee County. Fla.
The estimates of increase were based for the most
part upon the territory within distance Of mile
each side Of the reads improved.
In Spotsyvania County Il careful record was
made in 1910 of 81 farms located the road select
ed for Improvement or the farms sold in 1919
the prices actually paid show increases of from 81
to ll6 per cent the 1910 valuation. The aver
age valne after the roads improved was $2S 26
per acre. as compared with $fI.3l previous TO the
improvement In 1913 four transfers of farm land
were on the basis of $}0.1l per acre. whereas the
properties were listed in 1910 at only $3.50 per
acre. A appears that the 1851 acres sold in 1914
increased in value $2S.5O0, 50 per cent or from
$2i46 to- 81, 10 per acre.
In Dinwiddie County. Va. the actual price of AZ
farms sold offered for sale from 1909 TO 1914 rang
ed in price from $SS to $43.74 per acre before the
roads were built and from $24.10 to $160 per acre
after the roads improved.
4 In Lee County Va, study of eight tracts along
the roads before and after improvement Indicated
that these properstcs increased about $2i per acre.
about 20 per cent.
In Wise County, Va, Il study Of eight represent
tative farms located roads showed that they in
creased in valhe from average of S49.06 per acre
before Improvement to $19.44 after the roads were
improved. There were increases in valuation in
other sections of from 500 500 or even 500 per
acre
In Franklin County, ~ Y. the figures seem to
indicate that the change from earth sandy and loan
roads to bituminous macadam was followed by in
creases averaging $3.50 per acre, about 30.7 per
cent
In Dallas County. Ala. careful nyestig ation seem
cd to indicate that road Improvement has added at
least So to each acre of land within half mile of
Improved roads. Tracts sold at from SIS to so per
acre were sold again after road Improvement at from
500 TO SO per acre.
In bauderdale County Miss. the total assessed
valuation of real property outside of the city
$2.757,546. This increased in 1914 after road i'm
provement to $31S3.S09. or ia per cent. Local
real estate place the increase in land values
account of improved roads at from > TO 80 per
cent
In Manatee County. Fla. careful study Of sales
and real estare records indicated that the improve
ment ofroads has added from 10 to 100 per cent or
at least $l5 per acre, TO the selling price of all lands
within;one-haf mile of improved roads. This would
give total of SCI 900 more than twice the value
of the bonds issued.