Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-25
LITTLE HOPE OF FEDERAL
AID FOR BIG HIGHWAY
II Concrete Road to Petersburg Is to
Be Built, Richmond Must :
Pay Lions Share.
WANT IMMEDIATE ACTION
Promoters Favor Putting Present
Turnpike in Good Order ut Once,
Leaving Rebuilding Question to
Be Settled Next Spring.

II nrst-class highway is to be
! built between Richmond and Peters
burg. Richmond must be prepared to
bear the greater portion Of the expense
entailed in the construction. This is
the consensus of opinion of the COM
mit:ee Of six which on Thursday went
| to Washington in order to enlist the
support of the Federal government in
| this project.
| 1t is easy TO why Richmond
should be called upon the bear the
| major part Of the cost. Unless the
! Federal authorities are absolutely con-
WINGED that this road is essential as
| military necessity. the amount Of the
Federal aid in it's construction will
probably not exceed $4,000. This GUM
| could be obtained from the fund that
is at the disposal Of the Virginia au-
thorities as provided in the Federal
Road Act OF July IL, 1916.
Moreover, since it is only logical that
Richmond will derive the greatest BEN
eft from the completion OF this pro-
ject. 1t is natural to expect that Chcs-
terfeld County will be unwilling to
put up q sum equal to that of Rich
mond. But unless these various COM
munities bear their proporticnare share
OF the expense. 1t is not altogether
certain that this sum from the Fed
eral authorities will be obtainable. for
appointments from this fund are
made in accordance with the amounts
contributed by the local communities
According to experts the cost of this
road will be between S250,OOO and
100000 IL the road is to be built with
an eye to the future and to meet the
demands OF heavy traffic. Charles b.
Scott. assistant State Highway Com
missioner. stated yesterday that he
thought that this was conservative
and close estimate. In order to meet
oil - -
~ to justify its construction he said
that the road should be twenty feet
wide. should be constructed of concrete
or frst-class macadam costing about
$4,000 a mile.
FEDERAL ROAD AID TO DE
DIVIDED OVER TEN JOBS
There Is at present about $500. 900 OF
Federal funds at the disposal OF the
State Highway Commissioner for the
building of roads in Virginia during
the remainder Of 1917 and the year
1918. Since there are about ten other
road plans that are either participant
ing In this fund or are going to in
the near future. $4,000 will be all the
money available from the Federal
funds to aid in the construction of this
highway. and this will only be paid
the comm unities meet the condi-
lions imposed by the government in
granting this aid.
Figuring the cost Of the road at
$4,000 mile. the total cost would
be about $4,000. But the State of
Virginia furnishes one kind of aid
which corresponds to that granted by
the Federal government. and that is
the aid OF the convict labor of the
county Consequently. this leaves the
sum OF 100000 to be raised. Peters,
burg has already given $500 for the
building OF piece of road near the
city. and .his would probably be count
ed with the estimated sum of $4,000
to be given by Chesterfield County
This sum. together with the $4,000
| available from the Federal govern
ment, makes sG2.5o0. leaving the re-
mainder to be raised by Richmond
There are two ways of raising this
money in Richmond. It can be raised
by public subscription or by private
subscription from public spirited citl-
zens.
Advocates Of the plan point out that
as the cantonmcnt at Petersburg will
open on September 5. the need for
haste In making the highway passable
is evident. AS 1t is impr obable that so
large fund could be raised without
special legislation, it is hoped that the
funds can be provided to put the road
in good order for use at least until
next spring. by which time the Legis-
lature Will have met. and have acted on
the report Of Senator Goolrick's COM
mission proposing system OF through
highways for Virginia.