Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-09
a50,0OO,OOO TO Be SPENT
in 5 YEARS ON HIGHWAYS
Forty Eight States Will Work IN
Half-and-IIalf Plan With the
Federal Government.
sARTERLiL ROADS TO HENEFIr
President Wilson Has Attached Ills
Signature In Cooperative ran
Resultant From Merging OF CIV"
", Bills by Congress.

s. WASHINGTON. II CO July S-Co-
operation between the national govern
ment and the states i'm highways inn
provement has begun ON country wide
program.
y. In the nest i've years $i5c.a"o,oo
Twill be expended ON holf-and-hal
!. plan upon arierial roads selected by
%the highway authorities Of the forty
eight States, subject 70 tile approval Of
the Secretary of Agriculture.
\ The cooperative plan became cffec-
tive when President woodrow Wilson
B attached his signature 10 the concrete
proposition which resulted I'm the
merging by the coufcrecs OF the two
\ bills passed hy Congress- the Senate
I and House having adopted different
measures. In greater degree, the Sen.
3 ate bill found approval for II directed
4 quite positively the expenditure OF the
\ money and required the maintenance OF
the roads after construction 10y i'm
l posing discout.uuancc OF further
funds for neglect in TINS important
s. matter.
- Leaders in NmnlGamntion.
In the amalgamation of the two
= measures the conferceS OF the Senate
were: Senator John II EanShcad, chair
I man of its Committee on Post-otiices
"a. Swanson, OF Virginia. and Charles
Il. Townsend, of Michigan, Representa-
tives ID. w. Shacklcfurd, chairman of
the Committee on Roads. and Il. ",
Z Saunders, OF VirSInlu. We're the spokes-
men for the House.
! with the Federal Ala Convention,
{ conducted by the American Automobile
) Association III washington. January
1911 1872. started the effort which
: finally resulted in the law just enacted
5 Congress answered TINS first gathering
!. by the creation OF Il jciut committee
of the Senate and House, auth orized -
1nvcstigate upom the dcsirahility and
feasibility of Federal aid TO the states
I Its report was distinctly favorable.
Combining their energies the Ameri-
can Association OF State Highway Of
ficials and the American Automobile
Association urged the Fundamentals
contained in the Bankhead- Shackieford
/. Legislation accomplished.
Chairman George G. Diehl. OF tho
American Automo bilc Association good
roads board, thus comments on this
s new policy of combining Federal and
Z State funds in roads building:
z THE majority of the States have pro
vided for definite systems OF Stat,
highways, which they are CONSTRUCTING
; as rapidly as available means permit
Every effort should be directed now
toward having tho Federal funds apply
& Oh lHeSe '0AhN' S!HN'l'iS' Gnu ''ol l! &
tered away on countless little discon'
nectcd local roads. II is the duty OF
those who wish To see tangible AND
( lasting benefit derived from the Fed.
eral aid TO shape public sentiment 80
as to have ii solidly back OF the policy
OF applying Hcdcral aid TO tn" compile
ton OF the state highway systems and
to the connecting Up of these systems
with each other so that, while scrvinG
/. the primary interests of each State. W.
shall proceed RAPIDLY toward the &C.
quirement OF comprehensive nationa
system"
!irrinin's Fart l. S1.53O 900.
Added to the S75,00o,CO0 from the
Federal treasury VIII lac a like amount
from the several States. The Federal
distribution is on tho basis Of area, popu-
lntinM. nnd rural nnlINorv and stnr