The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-25

The state roads committee, created
by the last general assembly. with In
structions TO recommend to the next
general assembly State System of
Roads" in making public the result
Of Its work up to this point wishes to
call attention 10 several things in
connection with said work. In the
. first place Iuemb ers of the committee
unanimously construed the resolution
F IN question as a direction by the gem
eral assembly To formulate a plan OF
state Roads that is TO select from
! The entire road mileage of the state
certain important connecting highways
| for inclusion in the proposed State
System
Subsequent 10 the adjournment Of
the general assembly Of 1915 congress
passed the federal aid road act. appro-
priating large sum of money for per
ananent road Improvement in the
various states Of the union. In con-
| nectiun with the administration OF
| this law which is administered under
the supervision and direction % the
United States department OF agricul-
ture. the secretary Of agriculture,
under authority vested in him by the
act in question, notified the highway
department of Virginia that before
this state can participate in the fed
era, aid money. large portion OF
monweaith would have 70 formulate
and submit 10 the secretary definite
road policy or plan OF State Roads"
Reviews Committees Work.
with this situation existing the COM
mittee began work with the double
purpose In view OF carrying out the
direction OF the general assembly and
Of meeting the requirements OF the
Emitted States secretary of agriculture,
|lAfter one or two meetings OF the com
imittee had been held. public meet
ling was held In the city OF Norfolk.
an the month OF January, 1917. and
the committee listened to arguments
from a large number OF gentlemen
from every section OF the state In
FAVOR Of various proposed highways to
be included In the said system. These
arguments furnished the COMMITTEES
with a valuable fund OF Information
and at the request of the committee
were subsequently supplemented by
! comprehensive petitions and briefs
with this information and data
with other information gathered from
various sources the committee began
It's work of formulating the proposed
system In the city OF Richmond dur
ing the month of February. 1917. The
map filed as a part OF this statement
ahows the roads adopted. Those
mary routes. and those shown in heavy
dotted black lines are secondary
routes.
Principle Followed.
~ In selecting the roads mapped out
the committee was actuated by de-
aire to do exact justice among the
counties of the state. 30 far as 1t was
possible to do so. and by desire to
select as part of the proposed
H. t1A {x,,y ~vzt
Of which would bring the greatest
Denefit to the largest number OF peo-
ple. We have attempted to map out
= vystem Of North and South and East
! and West roads traversing the entire
Senrth and breadth OF the state, con-
hecting up with similar main high
ways In the adjoining states of Mary
Hand. West Virginia, North Carolina.
kentucky and Tennessee. and connect
1ng the cities. towns and county seats
Or the state so far as practicable, in
order that there may be, after the
construction Of this system. ready and
NV communication between impor-
ant points In Virginia and In order
That the farmers of this state may
- furnished easy access to market.
while we have sought, as stated above,
adjoining states yet we wish to make
M clear that our principal desire has
hAen to select those roads which APP
800 to us to be Of the most impor-
&aI,ce to our people. recognizing at tho
19me time the large amount of money
Whfch will be brought into the coun-
fiAS and cities of Virginia by tourists,
0oIlowing the completion Of such a |
axatem a. 10 mapped out The divi-
~ of the routes INTO primary and I
eecondary roads does not mean that
fhA latter are any less important than |
the former. but 10 done simply for the |
purpose OF distinguishing, In 4 meas |
uro. those connecting routes from
,SAoee more or less local. Neither does
~ designation mean that there viii |
|& any Discrimination. between the |
1tNo In regard 10 tho expenditure Of
&ney. etc.
II eoncluaion ~ Wish % state tAasl