The midland journal., 1917-02-09
EFFECT oF GOOD ROADS.
Government Statistics Show They In-
crease Value OF Land From
so to Over 100
Per cent.

so to Over 100
Per cent.
To determine as far as possible
the exact dollars and cents effect on
county of the improvement of bad
roads, specialists of the Office of
Public Roads and Rural Engineer
ling of the department made econo-
mic surveys in eight counties in each
of the years from 1910 to 1915, in
elusive.
This study of the increase in the
values of farm lands in the eigh
counties reveals the rather interest
ing fact that following the improve
ment of the main market roads the
increase in the selling price of till
able farm lands served by the roads
has amounted to from one to three
times the total cost of the improve
ments. The increase in values in
those instances which were recorded
ranged from SO per cent to 80 per
cent in Spotsylvania County, Va;
from 68 to 1914 in Dinwiddie County
Va; 70 to 80 in Lee County, Va;
25 to 100 in Wise County, Va; 0 to
ia in Franklin County N. Y; SO
to 100 in Dallas County, Ala; rs to
so in Lauderdale County, Miss
and from SO to 100 in Manatee
County, Fla. The estimates of in
crease were based for the most part
upon the territory within a distance
of mile on each side of the road
improved.
In Spotsylvania County a careful
record was made in 1910 of 35
farms located on the road selected
for improvement. Of the Z farms
sold in 1912 the prices actually paid
how increases Of from 81 to IL
per cent over the 1910 valuation
The average value after the road.
were improved was $2S.26 per acre
as compared with $17.31 previou'
to the improvement. In 1913 four
transfers of farm land were on the
basis of $30.11 per acre, whereas the
properties were listed in 1910 at
only $13.89 per acre. 1t appear
that the 1,451 acres sold in 1914 in
creased in value $28,500, or 80 per
cent, or from $24.46 to $44.10 per
acre.
In Dinwiddie County, Va, the
actual price of 43 farms sold or Of
fered for sale from 1903 to 1919
ranged in price from S8.3S to $43.7E
per acre before the roads were built
and from $24.7O to $3.50 per acre
after the roads were improved.
In Lee County, Va, a study o.
eight tracts along the roads before
and after improvement indicated
that these properties increased abou
$23 per acre, or about 70 per cent
In Wise County, Va, a study OF
eight representative farms located
on roads showed that they increased
in value from an average of $4,000
per acre before Improvement to
$74.44 after the roads were improv-
ed. There were increases in valu-
alton in other sections of from $50
20 500 or even 500 per acre.
In Franklin County, N. Y, the
figures seem to indicate that the
change from earth, sandy, and loan
roads to bituminous macadam was
followed by increases averaging
$3.50 per acre, or about 30.7 per
cent.
In Dallas County, Ala, careful in
vestigation seemed to indicate that
road improvement has added at least
SIS to each acre of land within a
half mile of improved roads. Tract
sold at $S to $40 per acre were
sold again after road improvement
at $40 to $25 per acre.
In Lauderdale County, Miss, the
total assessed valuation of real
estate property outside of the city
was $2,757,546. This increased in
1914 after road improvement to
$3,183,S09, or 1914 per cent. Local
real estate men place the increase
in land values on account of i'm
proved roads at 25 to so per cent.
cent.
In Manatee County, Fla, careful
study of sales and real estate records
indicated that the improvement of
roads has added from Is to 100 per
cent, or at least SIS per acre, to the
selling price of ali lands within one
half mile of improved roads. This
would give a total of $611,00O or
more than twice the value of the
bonds issued.