Evening journal., 1918-08-29
MAY RESTRICT new
STATE ROAD WORK
Plans Must be Approved
by United States High
way Council
ENGINEER UPHAM
VISITS WASHINGTON
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.

bulletin from the United States High
ways Council relative to the restriction
OF new road and paving work during
the war Mr.. Upham has gone to Wash
ington 10 secure personal knowledge as
to Just how proposed work in this
State will be effective. The bulletin
follows:
THE United States Highways Coun-
ell makes the following announcement
with reference 10 policy and procedure
as 70 highway and street work during
the period Of the war:
1. All proposed highway, street. cul-
vert, and bridge construction, recon-
struction. and maintenance involving:
(s) the issuance Of bonds; ,bl the use
OF rail or water TRANSFORMATION; lc) the
use Of coal or oil as fuel; or. (dl the
use Of cement, brick. asphalt, oil. tar,
crushed stone, OF steel. talso sand and
gravel where shortage exists as high
way material, should first be submitted
for approval to the United states High
ways Council through the appropriate
State highway department. Forms have
been prepared for this purpose and a
supply placed with each State highway
department No manufacturer will fur
nish any road building material until
the project has been approved by the
United States Highways Council
2 The Council sCain urges that new
highway snd street construction be con- |
fined to the most essential needs II /
this Is done there win be a far greater I
probability that the work thus selected /
can be promptly and effectively car
ried through to completion than II an
amount far In excess Of the available
facilities were to be undertaken.
The Council in passing upon the pro-
iects which come before II will give
first consideration to maintenance with
a view to conserving all the highways
already completed II possible
Reconstruction will be favorably con-
sldered by the Council only where II is
clearly established that maintenance is
no longer possible except at prohibtive
cost.
New construction will be given con-
sideration by the Council in the fol-
lowing relative order Of importance:
lfl Highways and streets Of military
value;
(2l Highways and streets Of national
economic value: n
t3) Unfinished contracts involving
contraotural obligations incurred prior ,
to April 5, 1918, where bond issue is in
volved) which may not be disturbed
without serious consequences:
f4) Streets and highways which al
though not Of national economic inn
portance Of the construction Of which
has progressed to such a point as 10
cause serious hardship II their con-
strucuon OF completion is postponed.
1fz Council Is hopeful that the select
I've consideration Of new highway and
street construction by the township.
county and municipal officials and in
turn by the State highway departments ;
VIII so materially eliminate the less es-
sential projects as 10 make 10 possible .,
for the Council to render active aid on !
the projects II approves. The aid con- !
templated viii be in the form Of such
action by the other government agen- 2
cies involved as will remove obstacles &
TO the speedy completion Of the pro- G
jects. u
g. BY way Of definition of highways c
Of military and National economic value, a
the Council offers the following :
lal. highway Of military value Is I
one used regularly for the transpor- \
lNAlNu "a AAAAAAuAN c4NNAlEr III NNAArluHA- ]
able quantity; for the movement as an ?
established practice Of army truck 2
trains, or which Is essential 20 the ef- u
acient operation OF q military canton n
ment, post, or plant.
fb) a highway OF National economic n
value Is one which serves OF will serve. a
4 properly improved. directly TO pro- s.
mote the welfare OF the nation and not n
merely the local welfare. As examples :
n may be stated that in this class would s
be placed 90 highways which although F
not directly used for military purposes u
set serve to help win the war by great S
~ facilitating the output or movement s
OF war munitions and supplies; (2l y
highways which can clearly be shown S
b relieve congestion on railroad lines
IN a territory which Is actually IN need S
Of such relief; (3) highways which give 2
access 20 or promote the output OF c
natural products needed by the nation Y
to a marked degree; tG highways c
which further housing operations IN
dertaken by the federal government or +
by other agencies with the approval Of 8
the federal government would justify s
st times this designation. u
4. State highway departments are re- p
quested 10 give most careful consider a
Btion to each application on its merits r
IN the light OF the policy announced p
by the Council and to exercise the C
power Of disapproval freely. Only the s.
projects approved by the State high d
way department will be considered by G.
the Council unless the department it. C
self IS in doubt and wishes a decision :
In the nature Of a precedent.
5 The Council will shortly begin
IN oo-operation with the office Of Public
Roads Of the Department Of Agriculture.
and the State highway departments Of
the several States, the preparation OF a
program OF road and street oOnstruc-
ton. reconstruction and maintenance
throughout the United States for the
working season Of 1919 The. purpose
Of the program IS to obtain an approxi-
nation Of the character and amount Of :
street and highway work deemed es- !.
sential in 1919 together with an approx III
nation Of the amount and character Of III
nnsncing required. the amount and III
character Of the various materials enter III
ing into the work the extent 10 which M
rail and water transportation will be III
involved, and the probable demands III
upon the labor supply The preparation III
of the program IN each State Will be III
directed by the State highway depart III
ment and will cover all State. county. III
township and municipal highway and II
street work III
s For the information Of the state II
highway departments as to procedure. III
forms are attached as follows III