The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1916-12-29
BEGIN DEVEL. OPMENT
Of THE INTER-
COUNTY ROADS
Federal Aid viii Result in Com
prehensive Highway System.
WISCONSIN MUST LAY OUT
COMP! NEXT WINTER

The next session of the Wisconsin
legislature will determine in meas
ure the future of the Wisconsin high
way system Upon it's decision will
rest whether Wisconsin will take
great step forward and develop an
inter-county highway system or con-
tinue to build local roads for local
needs solely-we have built 1890 miles
of state aid roads in 5000 pieces. In
a measure, we are at the parting of
the ways.
Next year, the first allotment OF Fed
eral aid for highways for the State
of Wisconsin will become available.
Under the Federal aid law, the state
must accept the terms of the law and
make an appropriation equal to that
allotted to this state by the Federal
government for 1917-S385, 083.14. For
1918, it will be the sansc amount; for
1919, $513, 44428 for 1920, $641, 8O5.35,
a total of $1,925, 416.05.
What makes the next session vitality
important is that the Federal govern
ment will require that next winter,
after the legislature makes the appro-
priation and accepts the terms of the
Federal law, the state highway de-
partment must submit a definite and
comprehensive program for the full
five-year period Although the money
is available from year to year, the COM
plete plan for the expenditure for the
full fve-year period must re laid out
at the beginning. Secretary of Agricul-
ture Houston, in discussing this fea-
ture of the law says:
I'm accepting the terms of the act,
the state, as matter of course, pledges
it's faith to the ive-year program. This
is important because it makes posi-
BILE the arrangement of comprehen-
sive scheme of road building. Obvi-
ously, the expenditure of the entire
amount of money contemplated under
the act should be planned at the out
set as far IS possible and road sys-
TENS and projects be conceived accord
ingly." HI
In further constituting the act, the
Department says:
"a state must submit to the secre-
tary of agriculture, by it's state high
way department, definite and COM
prehensive program of construction
for the five-year period, or as much
thereof as practicable, and subse.
quentis from time to time an appli-
cation for Federal aid, known as a
project statement, setting forth pro.
posed construction of each rural post
road"
This means that next winter the
plan must be laid out for the utiliza-
ton of the approximately 100000
Federal aid, which we will receive, the
pirate to meet this, and an equal
amount which the legislature will un-
doubtedly require the counties to ap-
propriate-$6,0 100000 in all.
There is every indication that the
five-year plan, or project, of highways
required will be through roads. A dis.
patch from Washington throws this
light on the situation:
"The office of public roads will, as
far as practicable, endeavor to have
the 'oads of one state connect with
those of another. The effort will be
to have the roads continuous in the
state and patches here and there will
not be constructed out of the Federal
aid money"
A further fact bearing upon this is
that, under the Federal act, the state
must guarantee the maintenance of
highways built with Federal money,
else the Federal aid will be withdrawn
Wisconsin state aid highways are now
obvious that Federal aid highways
must be maintained by the state as
the state could not be placed in
jeopardy of losing it's Federal aid
through the failure of the counties
to maintain roads built by Federal aid
In brief, the whole act means Fed
eral aid for main arteries, built un-
der state supervision, and maintained
by the state or under state super.
vision.
Herein fits the plan and purpose OF
the Good Roads Association of Wis
consin for a trunk line system of
roads for which it is conducting a
statewide campaign. Let the present
state aid continue and be utilized
in the present way, as it is done in
most places, in the development of
local roads Let the Federal aid and
accruing amounts be applied to the
building of inter-county lines-thus
taking care of the local and broader
aspects Of the road problem, and, fin
ally, carry into effect this plan as fol
lows:
Provide by statute that the Stat.
Highway Commission shall be en-
powered to Ley out prospective state
Trunk line Systam for f1ture develop.