The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1917-05-18
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.

Everyone would like 10 nave soo"
road running in front OF his nome
albeit many of them are nnwllhhs "
contribute anything toward the OK
,ense Of building or repairing II. II
It would be an ideal state OF aialrs
If every road in the county was sooo
road and each was as good as the
other. 1t would be very pleasing ~
all who travel the roads and all VINO
live along them If no odious compari-
sons were possible. But this Is I'LL
nossible of attainment. In the very
nature of things some streets IN every
city in the land are better paved IMAM
other streets; some are better lsh'eo
than others. In every village COM
munity one finds difference IN the
size and the character OF the puolie
school building. Some citizens ny
reason of their peculiar location anu
If conditions which cannot De
changed. enjoy some benefits mat Gun
ers cannot in the same degree have.
It would be gratifying to The Her
aid always and ever the advocate OF
good roads, if every central highway
If the county and every cross ROADS
for that matter, were made of the pest
material and kept in the most perfect
order But this paper realizes that
this ideal condition cannot exist at
this time. 1t also realizes the neces'
sitv for making some roads petter
than others. The main arteries OF
travel the roads leading from the
county line to the county seat shoulo
always receive the first consideration
from the road makers. They are traV-
eled at some time during the year ana
almost at some time during the month
nv all the people of the county. All
must come to the county seat ana 10
do so these main highways must De
travelled, for many miles where PROB
ably few travel more than mile or
two on the average over the side
roads.
In order to encourage the making
and keeping up of first class highways
connecting the county sites OF the
state. the legislature has enacted
law which provides that certain state
aid shall be given to these connecting
highways. A patrol system for main
tenance upon the roads so designated
is provided 1t is the ideal system too
for road maintenance. Repairs are
made as soon as they are needed.
They are made in this way at the
minimum of cost Time and money
are saved. In many counties one
road is made the beneficiary OF this
state aid and is made finished
boulevard. The next year another
road is designated and so on until all
have been brought up to certain
standard of excellence.
In this county better plan, one
more equitable and much fairer to all
of the taxpayers, through the inter
cession of the county road board, has
been adopted. There are six high :
WAYS and only six leading from Column
bia to the county seats of the adjoin-
ing counties. These six roads have
all been designated as benehciaries OF
this state aid. Instead of placing all
the funds on one road to the neglect
of the others the state highway COM
mission has agreed that each of the
six roads entitled to the classified
ton required shall share equally in
the benefits. The other roads OF the
county will receive larger share of
local aid than would have been pos
sible without this support on the six
designated roads from the state, and
every taxpayer and traveller OF the
roads in the county will be the bene-
ficiary.
Naturally, there is going to be some
expression by those who
do not chance to live on or adjoining
the six designated roads. They are
disappointed because their particular
roads will not get as much attention
from the state. Their complaint is
not properly against the county road
board. 1t is against the law. Both the
state highway commission and the +
county road board in effecting this ar
rangement have made the most liberal
construction of the law possible. In
the end the experiments by the state
upon the six roads in. the county and
the use of the patrol system will
inure to the benefit Of every citizen
and taxpayer in the county.