Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1918-10-18
THE MAN OFF THE
STATE ROAD SYSTEM
BY S. E. BRADT,
State Superintendent of Highways.

occasionally remark OF this KIND
Is heard 81 do not live on the pro-
posed state bond roads and therefore
will never get any benefit from them
the system is not properly laid out
to accommodate the farmers and
shall vote against it."
The bond issue system is not to be
the end of road building in Illinois,
but is simply the beginning. II is The
framework upon which we will build
state system of roads that will reach
to all towns and neighborhoods. But
we must build the framework first. 1t
was not laid out with reference to
county or township boundaries, but
rather with the Idea Of connecting cen
tiers of population and marketing
points for farm and factory products.
That the great proportion of the traf-
fic originates in these centers of popll-
lation and travels from one center TO
another is shown by a traffic census
taken in 1913 by the state highway de-
partment of Iowa in cooperation with
the Iowa State college,
This census covered IL stations in
II counties and shows that 60 per cent
of all highway traffic originates in the
town and returns to the town-6la per
cent is tourist traffic through the state
while 2S2 per cent IS farm traffic that
IS originating on the farm and return
ing TO the farm OF the 65 per cent
originating in the towns, Al per cent
70 To
this the through or tourist traffic Of
6Is per cent, we have J31a per cent of
the total traffic following the main
roads from town to town. This con-
firms the correctness of the action of
our legislature in connecting centers
of population when laying out this sys-
TEN of bond issue roads.
From the foregoing there can be no
doubt that the bond issue system COW
ering as it does the majority of the
main travelling roads of the state will
take care of from 10 10 30 per cent Of
the entire highway traffic of Illinois.
Granting that we cannot improve all
of the roads at the same time. it is APP
parent that we should begin with those
receiving the greatest traffic and let
the others follow in the order of their
importance: that is, we should not i'm
prove the secondary roads before the
main roads any more than railroad
company would build the feeders" be-
fore it constructed the main line
On the basis of equity, no one can
dispute the proposition that the main
roads should be improved first and be-
You'd question they will be improved
first; hence the sooner they are pro-
yided for the sooner we can turn our
atteriion TO the less important roads.
If, therefore, we shall approve of
the bond issue for improving this sys-
tenn of main roads, we will then be at
liberty TO take UP the question of these
roads that connect with the bond sys-
tenn. If you live off from the bond
system, help put it over in order that
YOU may the sooner have an improved
road to your town or farm.
Do not think, however, that the In
terests of those people living off this
bond issue system of roads have been
overlooked or neglected. The fact Is
that the plan provides that all surplus
collected from automobile fees above
the amount required for the payment
of the bonds and interest and taking
care of the maintenance of the roads,
shall be used in improving these roads
leading out from the system. The
amount available should average near
ly S2,000,000 annually and will be allot-
ted to the counties under the state aid
plan.
This means that the counties will
provide an equal amount, making a
total of approximately 100000 am
nually for % years or an aggregate of
Sl00,000,000. In addition, the care of
the bond system roads and the state
aid system roads, as fast as improved,
will be taken off from the hands of the
township highway commissioner and
the township road and bridge fund,
amounting to more than SS,000.000 an
nually. will all be available for use
upon these connecting roads. You Will,
therefore. see that included in the
bond issue plan Is very large sum for
constructing these roads that are not
a part of the bond issue system.
1t is apparent. therefore. that you
will help yourself and help your neigh
Dor TO get good road by supporting
the bond issue even though you do not
happen to reside along that system