Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-28
BUILDING NETWORK
OF PUBLIC ROADS
Virginia Climbing Steadily Out
of Traditional Mudhole Into
Easy Communication.
NEED FOR DEFINITE SYSTEM
Concerted Plan Must Be Agreed
Upon 10 Secure Fed
eral Aid.
NEED FOR DEFINITE SYSTEM

The demand OF the twentieth century
for rapid transportation facilities. n,.
which widely separated communities
may he brought into easy comnluri
cation with cach other for social and
commercial purposes, has been met in
Virginia with the construction Of Yplcu
did modern highways throughout the
STATE From Lee 10 Accomac and from
me f"tomac River to The sou,hcrmcS,
BOUNDARY Of tho Common wealth. each
community unit has felt tho thrill OF
progress which comes only With tho
advent OF good roads.
The w!dcs read feeling IN v,,-i,,i.
Of the need OF q more bus:n.ss.lil.
administration Of the work Of buiidinr
highways found expression by The Leg.
isiatur< ten years ago. when that boGv
passed an act creating The ofIicc rr
state Highway Commissioner under
whose direction. az central AUTHORITY
The state lends direct aid in tho mai,
ter Of road construction. Under IN.
guidance Of this department. which me-
gan It's work In 1907, there ha. been
constructed in Virginia a network or
improved highways of which the stat,
is Justly proud
OMITTED TO PRONIDE: ron
DEFINITE SCHEME or HIGHWAYS
I'm it's policy OF ROAD improvement,
A""cNcr. thc State has omitted II, -
inc present time 10 incorporate In IL.
program definite scheme Of highways
'"ct which has weakened IN som.
measure the good results which in
ably follow the construction of I'M
proved roads. In other words. the state
has built throughout The leugt,, and
breadth OF ;he Commonwealth hiph
WAS which have done much for Tho
Individual communities through which
'hry pass, but the lack OF continuity
"ith which they have been built. the
lack OF connection one with the o,bc-
80 .'S to make them connecting. links in
continuous highways through tho stat.
has served 10 lessen the pleasure ana
the profit which have come with ,heir
building
Til" state Highway Commissioner
George l. Coleman. IL an ardent adj.
vocal" OF a definite system OF high
ways and has preached the doctrine
consistently wherever ne has appeared
heiore a public gathering or has~been
c"i!ed 10 address commercial BODY.
30 i:nbued is he with this principle.
'hat he has announced his intention
of drawing the matter sharply TO In.
attention of the next Legislature.
which. he hopes. will quickly remedy
this defect in the States policy of
road construction.
MUST HAVE Plan
TO RECEIVE FEDERAL AID
II: TACT. such "A change will be i'm
ned!aicly necessary. IL the state Is 10
recelN" The Federal aid provided for
IN recent act Of Congress. Under the
provisions Of this law. the national
government viii aid the several states
IN their work of road building. pro
Nided the states comply with certain
conditions. one OF which is that each OF
them shall have 4 definite system Of
highways. Nirsiaia's part OF the Fed
cral fund Will be 100000. for tho frs,
year. 10 b" increased by 100000 each
succeeding Year TO the fifth, finally
reaching yearly appropriation OF
$5oo.oo0 for road purposes In this STATE.
The aid is conditioned upon the State
raising like amount. The whole will
be expended IL the furtherancc of such
projects and plans as have been an
proved by the Secretary Of Agriculture
and the state Highway Department.
License fees from automobiles. mo-
torc%cies and garages. which the last
l1S5 iSia TIRE reverted from purposes OF
road construction TO road and bridge
maintenance. promise this year to reach
figure ncver before attained since
these modes Of travel supplanted the
slow going way in which John Ran
GolDh. of Roanoke, reached the nationa,
Capitol from his Charlotte home.
AUTOMOBILE TAX Is
DISTRIDUTED TO COUNTIES
10 Il
distributed proportionatcly to the vari-
Gus counties Of the State, 10 ba used
b. them in Keeping in proper condi.
t!on the improved roads which thoy
have already built. The heavy increas.
it shows With each passing year testi-
fcs cloquen;ly 10 the strides virginia
Is making in the mat tier Of better high
ways. for without good roads the an
tomobile and the motorcycle would ba
tho most useless pieces OF machinery
OH Garth.
md there arc many miles OF road in
Virginia 10 which this fund NAV bc
properly applied. Since the nrganiza
ton In 1907 OF the State Highway Do
phr:mcni, 5000 miles OF improved high
ways, traversing practically every com
munity unit OF the Old Dominion, have
been constructed. and the necessity or
an adequate maintenance fund bocomcs
more pressing each year as mile after
continued on Tweisih Page)