Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-18
SOUTHWEST V|RG|N|A's
PLEA FOR GOOD ROADS
Brief Prepared by Henry Roberts, OF
Bristol, Is Presented To Lcgisla-
tive Road Committee.
VARIOUS ROUTES DESCRIBED
Ten Counties I'm Southwest Virginia
issue Over $4,000, 900 i'm Road
!, isond.s-Itoads Asked Included In
state System Total $40 Miles.

~ SohthWcstcrn part OF virginia
Which tho Legislative committee has
h"ep requested 10 include in tho state
hiEhwi> system. prepared by
Henry Roberts. tho good roads man"
OF bristol MIR. Roberts IL a successful
attorney, and for number of years
has hcrn active in promoting improved
roads IN that section and throughout
Tho entire southern Appalachian terri
tory. lie was elected president Of the
Southern Appalachian Good Roads AS
sociation las, fan. succeeding Or.
Joseph hyde Pratt. Of North Carolina.
IN part the brief says
1t IL assumed that ia planning
system Of roads TO bc lnaiutai lined by
tho Commonwealth Of Virginia. rs Il
State system. the interests OF the pco-
pic OF tho state viii be given first CON
sidcration, and the interests Of tho poo
pie Of tho nation viii be given sec
ondary consideration. and that wEa:c
both nf these interests may bc properly
taken care Of without prejudice 10 the
Interests Of the pcopl" Of tho state.
hhc combined interests OF both VIII DC
considered and subscrrcd.
The setting and topography Of south
west Virginia requires that the ROADS
u this section. especially. should BE-
OF adjoining states.
S.stem Aggregates 80" Miles.
WcdSed between North Carolina aud
Tennessee on tho south, ami West VIZ
ellIt ana or LIt' MOI VI his'
west: bounded and traNcrscd northeast
and southwest by the Blue Ridge. Iron.
Walkers. Clinch. Powell. sandy Ridge.
I, Cumberland. Black and Pine Mountains.
as well AS numerous other mountains
and ridges: the distance, by road, from
Roanoke 10 Cumberland Gap being "a,
miles. which is greater By a fc" miles
than tho distance from Roanoke TO
Norfolk. the average dtstanc" north
and south being perhaps S"N"utS-hNc
miles as tn" Gro" Mes. but iuucn
greater across hills and valleys and
mountains: II is really remarkable that
!, system Of state roads for Southwest
Virginia. covering about one hith 81
,,hc state. may h" suggested which as
':r.Satos only go miles.
But this IS not 50 remarkan!" wheh
il is considered dat ton counties M
Southwcs, Virginia have ,sSh"d prac-
tiCally half OF the Ss,5u"oec ~ road
bonds for the whole state. ana That
these and other funds nave been -
pended on system Of road located,
manned aud constructed unGcr The su-
pervisiQu OF thc State Highway Com
mission. 80 that III, logical routes ana
locations have been selected aud III"
roads constructed win Il view TO
state and Interstate system OF high
WAYS.
The routes aud locations. hott from
the standpoint, Of state and tntors at'-
roads. haze been determined 'E hS
topography! OF tNih section ot t!'N -! ~
and Of adjoining states.
Virginia Attracts Motorists.
rhc Federal aid road bill has given
i mighty impetus to tl!a Interstate or
na,ional road movement. Virginia
seems to occupy the most 9tratcSic
position OF amy State IN Ia. Union
IN reference 10 this movement. EN-
tending. from The Atlantic 20 ..umter-
land Gap. So miles. perhaps 10 per
~ - tar s,t - tnr al
north and south nov passes through
Virginia. The only hiudrance 10 Nir-
-inia selling annually tons OF mil
<'ijons OF dollars worth Of tradition.
history climate. scenery sentiment,
pleasure and Eiartainmcnt 10 hun.
dreds OF thousands OF motor tourists
is the impaSsabl, condition Of fcw
.eciionf OF roads in wet weather. and
the lack .: proper maintenance .: al
the interS;;.t" roads IN the State.
In this connection. certain interstate
road movements west OF Virginia must
10 considered. and especially the Dixie
Highway. Unless the State system in
Southwest Virginia is properly planned,
the greater part OF tho desirable motor
tourist business from the country to
tho west and northwest OF the Cumbcr-
land Mountains will be diverted over
the Dixie Highway and pass mound
Virginia. Some OF the people OF south
west Virginia have been aware Of this
situation. ana nave been strtining
every nerve and all energy 10 construct
direct road from Cumberland Gap 10
Bristol TO connect with the great high
way eastward 10 Roanoke WASHINGTON.
Richmond and Norfolk. We have real
tizcd that Virginia gave tho territory
ana many Of tho pioneers who have
made several or tho states of tho Mid
die West. and that their descendants
would like to come back over the OLD
Wilderness Road and visit their Mother
Virginia. We have. therefore. sug
Scstcd that Southwest NirSinias FIRST
highway in tho state system shall he
tho Valley Highway from Roanoke to
Bristol. and that the second highway
shall be a continuation of tho Valley
Highway To Cumberland Gap and called
Boone Way. These two highways VIII
be worth more to Virginia than any
other two highways in the state. he
cause they will hiring desirable tourist
business into Virginia which would
otherwise go around Virginia, whereas
other State highways will simply carry
tourist travel which has to cross Nir
ynia going north and south.
The Eastern Dixie Highway extends
from Detroit TO Cumberland Gap.
Knoxville and Chattanooga and the
western branch runs from Chicago to
louisville and Chattanooga and on 10
FLORIDA, while the Boone Way cuts
across both and extends from Louis
willie. Lexington and Charlotte. " e..
where connection is made with good
roads To Florida Boone Way is a
more scenic. historic and attractive
route than either OF the Dixie high
ways. and is also much nearer compile
ton than tho Western Dixie Highway
(bctwecn Nashville and Chattanooga.
Bonds have been issued with which
10 grade and macadamizc Boone Way
from Cumberland Gap TO Crab Orchard.
ION which point thcro is a pike to
: .>uisvillc. aud il is expected this sec
ton will be completed this year.
In this connection. the Arctic-Tronic
Highway. travcrscs the northern part
OF the territory crossed by Eastern
pixie Highway. and is a moro direct
line TO Florida. and will bring a great
deal of business to Virginia which
rightfully belongs here.
Progress Of Work In Mnny states.
Considering now the Importance Of
our connections with Tennessee and
North Carolina and Yves, Virginia, the