Omaha daily bee., 1919-01-19
MUCH ROAD WORK
is PLANNED FOR
COMING SUMMER
Improvement Of 1857 Miles
at Cost Of $57 $4,000 is
Approved by Secretary
Of Agriculture.

From the passage Of the federal
aid road act to December IS, 1915
75s projects were approved by the
secretary OF agriculture. These
projects involve the improvement
Of 1907 miles Of public roads at a
total estimated cost OF $5I 632,OOO
Of which the federal government
has been requested to contribute
, s2l 100000 There have been actu-
alIv completed to date twelve pro-
iects involving a total OF 81 miles
of road costing approximately SOILS
s48. and on which federal aid in the
amount OF $260.660.19 was paid.
Altogether, there are more than
$500 miles of road for which most
Of the steps preliminary TO con-
struction have been taken so far as
the bureau OF public roads is con-
cerned. Numerous other projects
not yet reported to the department
have been completed or are under
construction, so that the sum total
of the road work now i'll progress
under federal aid is greater than APP
pears in this summary.
Covers Entire Country
From Florida TO Maine, west to
the Pacific coast and down to the
fringe OF old Mexico the road build
ing work is going on. Every state
has accepted its contribution from
the government and. while no or
eanized effort has been made along
those lines to the present time, the
states are working gradually to the
system OF national highways which
is so strongly endorsed by travel
lers generally.
The work OF the federal depart
ment as we'll as that of the states
las been limited during the last year
bv abnormal labor conditions and
increase in cost. coupled with a de-
crease in inefficiency These factors
will be improved this year and, with
restrictions lifted, Eoad officials gem
orally believe that 1919 will see the
greatest year in the History OF mod
crn road work.
Coupled with the plans which are
already outlined for expenditures on
The roads is the legislative program
now before congress which pro-
vides for $s00,000O00 to be ex-
pended over a period Of seven years
81 federal aid 1t is estimated that
III The event Of passage of this bill,
which would make available immedi-
ateiy $75,000,000 for use in federal
aid. it would be possible for the
government and the states to build
$4,000 miles of highway this year II
labor could be obtainedN Such a
system Of highways would make a
fair start on the larger undertaking
OF improving every main highway in
The United States, and road men
everywhere, as we'll as business men
who are acquainted with the
economics Of road work, are eagerly
watching the attitude of congress
on this question.
Work in Kansas.
InaKansas much Of the work has
been done on the Ozark and the
King of Trails, Oh which A4.5 miles
Of construction has been undertaken
at cost Of $sl0,00O
Alabama has been working to-
ward completion Of state trunk
line system. while two road projects
on the Observation-Disclosures
road have occupied attention in Vir-
ginia
Interstate Military Highway,
In a like manner a great deal of
work will be done on what the west
calls the Interstate Military High
way. the line of which runs from
Canada on the north to the Gull on
the south. Seventy miles Of inn
proved road will be Constructed on
this highway in Colorado, the line
running north and south through
Huerfarno and Las Animas counties
from Walsenvorg to tie New Mex
leo state line. Here the Colorado
project will be joined by two pro-
iects III New Mexico which run
from Ration Pass south for dis
lance Of S4.5 miles. The three pro-
iects taken in conjunction will mean
an Improvement Of cqrtlnuous
stretch Of the highway Of lol,s
miles at cost of more than
$4,000. This is the longest con-
tinuous stretch Of Improvement that
viii BE done this year in the United
States so far as is known.
In Nebraska the road builders will
have underway work on the potash
road from Alliance to Antioch
through Box Butte and Sheridan
counties for a distance OF IS miles
al a cost Of S63,S1S. This highway
wiIl serve to tap virgin territory
Of remarkable wealth.
In Illinois improvement work will
Be undertaken on the Lincoln high
way west from Chicago through
Dupage. Kane, De Kalb, Ogle, Lee
ard Whiteside counties, ending at
Fulton. on the Mississippi river and
me state line. The road will be rs
miles long. Of which Is miles will
Sc undertaken with federal aid and
liz rest handled BY the state. The
cost 81 the highway is estimated at
sf.lA6673 and the construction will
be concrete. This work is now un-
der way and should be completed
during the year.
Improvement in West.
III California perhaps the CHIEF
project is the new road in Trinity
county. which will run east and west
out 81 Douglas City and Burnt
Ranch. This is a section Of a lateral
road which wilt be ultimately sx-
tended 10 the coast and some idea
81 the type OF constructions can DC
gained when It IS said that the cosi
Win Sc $4,000 and the distance i
only 4s miles. while the work done
Will be simply grading and dram
1--d~~- onfQ a trail hre2 kS