Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-02-01
The Urgency of Good Roads.

Georgias interest in good roads is encourage
ngly evidenced in the fact that the State High
way Commission recently has Endorsed, for Federal
aid. improvement and construction projects
amounting to two hundred and ffty-seven thou
sand dollars and has received from sundry coun-
ties applications sufficient to consume its entire
Federal apportonment for the year. approx
mately four hundred thousand dollars When it
is noted that the counties duplicate in money
labor and material every dollar of the Govern
ment grants they receive, the large Importance of
the Georgia funds for this purpose is apparent
The projects recently approved by the State
Commission represent total expenditures of more
than half a million dollars. while those for 1918
will aggregate some eight hundred thousand
dollars
This, however. is merely fraction of what is
being spent Georgia highways. Several years
ago the estimate, exclusive of Federal funds. was
between two and half and three million dol
lars annually. The National Governments as
sistance has begotten new interest and effort even
service available from the rail lines is largely
supplemented by highway transportation. To
this end. plans being perfected for parcel post
motor-truck routes number of which are pro-
posed for Georgia. In addition, private business
doubt will look and more to this means
for short hauls of freight while passenger traffic
too. will be handled more and more by automo-
biles if the is prolonged.
All this points to the urgency of improving
amongst those counties which have not yet shared
it, Furthermore, the STANDARDS of material and
construction and maintenance established under
the Governments system and consistently upheld
by the state Highway Commission have accom-
plished much for economy and efficiency. The
average dollar spent for Georgia highways today
comes nearer yielding hundred cents of res
suits than ever before. This happy condition will
ma kp fha and
dorse bonds and pay taxes for road improvement
enterprises
Certainly there was never time when good
roads needed so widely and so urgently
The wars tremendous demands upon the coun-
trys transportation facilities brings this problem
home with peculiar force to every city and ham
let in the land, to every merchant and manufac-
turer and farmer. The railroads are manifestly
unequal to the emergencies of the time; the won
der is, indeed, that they the situation as well
thy did before the Government, with its unity
ing and concentrating power, took charge. Even
Government control will not suffice unless The
old roads and building ones and keeping
them all in prime condition. Always of potent
influence in public welfare, roads becom-
ing in many instances the decisive factor of
community's happiness i'll fortune. For in
stance, where roads poorly built or so
poorly kept to be virtually impossible, the
Government cannot be expected to establish
tor routes for parcel post delivery; yet, being
denied rather, through it's laggard:sm,
losing that service. the countys interests may
suffer severely. Its merchants may lose thou
sands of dollars through delays and inadequacies
in the movement of freight. Its farmers may
miss uncommonly rich opportunities for the up
building of a regular trade in foodstuffs with city
consumers. Indeed, it's entire future may be
dwarfed or ruined by failure to meet the present
imperative and far-reaching demand for good
roads.
That Georgia counties a rule are alert to
the situation, the records of the Highway Commits
SION happily attest But it cannot be stressed too
strongly that good roads are essential to a com
munity's good fortune-essential indeed, to its
very existence in these extraordinary times and
in the years of keen contest that lie ahead.