Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-01-06
BEGIN DEVELOP
OF THE INTER-
COUNTY ROADS
Federal Aid will Result in Com
preh8nSiVe Highway System.
WISCONSIN MUST LAY OUT
COMPLETE PLAN NEXT WINTER

The next session of the Wisconsin
legislature will determine in meas
ure the future of the Wisconsin high
way system. Upon its 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 $500 miles
of state aid roads in 1920 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 1885 .08314 For
1918. it will be the same amount for
1919, $5l3.44428; for 1920, S641 .S0535,
a total of $1.925, 1865
What makes the next session vitality
important is that the Federal govern
ment will require that next winter
after the legislature makes the a o.
priation and accepts the terms OF the
Federal law. the state highway de-
partment must submit definite and
comprehensive program for the fun
five-year period Although the money
is available from year to year. the com
plete plan for the expenditure for the
full fiyeyear period must "a laid out
at the beginning. Secretary of Agrieul
ture Houston, in discussing this fea
ture Of the law says
In accepting the terms of the act.
the state, as a matter Of course, pledges
its faith to the tiveyear program. This
IS important because 1t makes posi-
BILE the arrangement of a comprehen-
sive scheme Of road building Obyi.
ously. the expenditure OF the entire
amount of money contemplated under
the act should be planned at the out
set as far as possible and road sys.
TENS and projects be conceived accord
ingly"
In further constituting the act. the
Department says:
"A state must submit to the secre.
tary of agriculture, by its state high
way department. definite and com
prchensive program OF construction
for the fve.year period. or as much
thereof as practicable, and subse-
quently 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 utilza.
ton of the approximately 100000
Federal aid witch We win receive. the
81 600 600 which the state must appro.
pirate TO meet this and an equal
amount which the legislature will un.
doubleday require the counties to ap
propriate-$6O eco 600 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 roads 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 cut of the Federal
aid money"
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
maintained by the counties II is
obvious that Federal aid highways
must be maintained by the state AS
the state could not be placed in
jeopardy of losing its 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 uu
der state supervision. and maintained
BY the state or under state super.
vision
Herein fits the plan aud purpose of
the Good Roads Association of Wis
consin for trunk line system of
roads for which il is conducting
statewide campaign, Let the present
state aid continue and be utilized
in the present way. as II 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-eounty lines-thus
taking care Of the local and broader
aspects Of the road problem. and. tin
ally. carry into effect this plan as fol
lows.
Provide b. statute that the State
Highway Commission shall be EN-.
powered to lay osf prospective state
trunk line system for future develop
ment, and that in this system shall be
incorporated the fveyear plan, OF pro
jet. TO be submitted TO the Federal
government for its approval upon