The Glenwood post., 1918-11-09
ROADS, FROM TILE
MOTOR-TRUCH VIEWPOINT
(By s. f. Norton, Chairman Highways
Transport Committee, State Coun-
ell of Defense)

Every motortruck added to the
transportation system of Colorado re-
leases man power for use on the farm,
cuts down the co It of supplies to the
ultimate consumer, adds materially to
the traffic mileage, and releases car ca
pacity and locomotive power on the
sorely tried railroads.
Further, every time horses are sup
planted by motor trucks, acres of land
are released for cultivation of food
stutfs for human beings instead of
stock and it follows that every acre of
land so released again releases man
power for work on vital war necessi-
ties.
There is no longer any question about
the efficiency and economy of the
power drawn vehicle as against the
horse. Far better time can be made,
far heavier loads carried, the cost of
operation reduced to a remarkable de-
gree and two operating one truck can
easily do the work of ten handling
sedrawn teams.
/ From every standpoint of efficiency,
economy, elimination of waste effort
| and cost, the motor truck is TODAY the
best known means of transportation on
| the highway and its use must inevita-
| bly, increase from year to year.
There remains but one factor which
has not yet been given proper consid-
eration-the highway itself.
For some unknown reason the road
is taken for granted as something that
is there and that will remain as basis
for motor truck operation.
Yet every man who has given any
| thought to transportation must know
that it costs money to construct roads
and that once they are built, like any
other human structure, they at once
begin to deteriorate unless they are
properly maintained.
Maintenance costs money under the
most favorable circumstances-under
heavy traffic, it costs more money.
This then becomes the basis for all
motor truck transportation and while
the Highways Transport Committee of
| the State Conucil of Defense is but
youthful body as yet, its members have
"A full sense of the Importance of ade-
quate highway provisions to the success
of motor transportation, which in turn
| l., 1l,r f,,1 t,a,
patton in the war.
We must have good roads, not as an
avenue to pleasure, but as needed com
mercial arteries. Our highways must
be kept open, as Mr.. Ehrhart said in
the last issue of this magazine, and
more than that, they must be kept open
for heavy travel, not merely maintained
for tie light passenger travel of other
days. Viewing the problem from a
transportation standpoint, the need for
maintenance appears to me as a pro-
Yosal to the citizens of Colorado to in
vest their money in a sound fincial in
vestment. The returns will be imme-
liate IN the shape of reduced freight
age costs, which means lower cost of all
commodities so handled. 1t has been
demonstrated time and again by finan-
cial experts of the L. s. government
that money expended in good roads
pays back the investment within a
short time, aside from the sociological
feature of closer communication be-
tween cities, better opportunities for
education, etc.
The road problem in Colorado is rap
illv nearing a critical stage. The rail
roads will not be able to handle our
heavy domestic trade much longer and
the highways must take up the burden.
The only solution is general recog-
milton of the need of broader highway
policy, formulated upon a larger budget
and governed by reasonable traffic reg
ulations which will not permit one
thoughtless or selfish individual to ruin
the highways at the expense of the
state simply that he may thereby make
somewhat larger. but only immediate,
profit for himself.