Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-05
FEDERAL AID ACT TO BE UTE
LIED TO DEVELOP STATE
WIDE HIGHWAY ROUTES.
SEVERAL PROJECTS NOW
READY TO BE LAUNCHED
Highway Commission Formulates Rules
Under Which State Aid May Be Pro-
cured-only One Project to Be Con-
sidered in Each County-Shoulo
Radiate From important Towns.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican,
Des Mo!res. July "a statewide
ntercoun;y system of highways Is to
he developed in Iowa under the federal
aid road act. The system will be made
up Of the most important roads in the
state joining the more important cen
:ers and will include from 1000 to O.
GOO miles Of road
The acceptance Of this federal aid
VAS made possible by the last general
assembly in passing the federal aid
road law providing that the state Will
pay from the automobile funds an
equal amour; with the government in
improving these roads. The govern
mani has allotted to Iowa S2,192,540 IS
- me state will match that sum thus
providing s4,SS5.0So.70 10 be expended
IN developing thru highways.
The boards Of supervisors of each
county must designate the roads which
are 10 be improved and submit the
project to the state highway commits
sion, This must be approved by the
commission and also by the govern
nent officials at Washington. With
the plans approved work on the roads
Will start.
Several Projects Ready.
Thomas H. Mcdonald. state highway
engineer. stated a few days ago that
number of projects have been sub
nitted and are almost ready to starr
work on. Hence work Will start soon
on some OF these roads which are TO
be a part Of the intercounty system.
The commission has announced that
in selecting the projects to be i'm
proved the following rules VIII he fol-
lowed. "Only one project. in general,
will be considered from each county.
This project should be large enough to
require the entire fve-year allotment
TO the county. Disconnected projects
will not be approved except where
parts of the projects are separated by
incorporated towns. Projects should
start at or radiate out from the more
important towns or from county lines
Or fully improved stretches OF road and
extend continuously as far as funds
will permit"
Must Sc Substantial.
The government requires that ali
federal aid improvement must be sub
stantial in character. The state high
way commission explains that this
has been construed to mean that the
improvement must ar least contem-
plate building an earth road to an es-
tablished grade. constructing surface
and sub-surface drainage, permanent
culverts, permanent bridges and elm
nation Of grade crossings wherever
possible. Improvements may contem-
plate surfacing with gravel or other
type Of surfacing material. Bridges
and culverts should be constructed
from county money aside from the
federal aid fund No right Of way can
be purchased with federal funds"
Each county of the state will receive
during the five-year period sum
equal TO s39.05 per square mile Of ter
ritory, from the federal fund alone and
1t must then put up, from its automo-
bile fund, a like sum. Polk county, for
instance, with an area of $50 square
miles. will receive in the five years
from the government S23.27S.SO and
must put up ike sum making a total
OF s4s.547.60 to be spent under this law
The counties with the largest area will
receive the most money. kossuth coun-
~, with 974 square miles Of territory,
will receive s3s.034.7O from the gov
eminent and Pottawattamie county.
with $50 square miles OF territory, will
receive s37,409.90. Doubling these
amounts will give s76,069.4O for Kos
suth and s74,S19.s0 for Pottawattamie
county