Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-24
PERMANENT ROADS

KIM.
PERMANENT ROADS
THE public will approve mos
heartily the stand State High
way Commissioner Sadler ha
taken in favor of the constructioi
of none but the most permanen
types of roads in Pennsylvania. TIL
big criticism of State-built highway
in the past has been that they die
not stand up" under heavy traffic
Repairs cost more in many case
than the roads themselves. Thi
has been true, not only in Pennsyl
vania, but elsewhere where devel
opment of efficiency in road build
ing did not keep up with growth il
size and number of motor vehicles
For example, II. Eltinge Breed
formerly first deputy commissioner
of the New York department, has
this to say of conditions in that COM
monwealth:
1t would be unjust and mis-
leading to formulate in dollars
the worth of what we have to-
day; strong as is the temptation
to do so. Too many undetermined
factors enter into such an ap-
praisal to give it validity. This
n,lr much; n howeyer NTe yer is definite; For
1882 miles of durable pavement.
The average life of the semi
durable or non-durable types
which comprise more than $500
of our remaining miles is not
more than five years, at nominal
maintenance. Most of these roads
have already passed that age, and
are kept in service only through
excessive maintenance. That is a
poor return for our investment.
We can, and must. get far better
results from future expenditures.
But" continues the same writer
the depreciation must not blind us
to the benefits we have gained
and he continues:
Highways are means to ends.
not ends in themselves: although
built at eXorbitant cost. they
have served their purposes we'll
They have given to people and
products greater freedom of
movement. What that has meant
in life, liberty and the pursuit of
prosperity can be family surmised
from the howl that goes up
whenever a mile OF road is shut
off for repairs. 1t can not he esti-
mated in dollar values.
The highways have enhanced
land values whenever they have
been built. Farmlands contiguous
to improved roads have increased
in value from ten dollars an acre
to thirty dollars an acre. In New
York state, between 1890 and
g.. l.. g.. H.
was approximately eighty million
dollars. The United states census
shows that between 1900 and 1910
there was an increase along inn
proved roads in New York state
of S3S1, ,15S.000 when only sac
100000 had been spent for i'm
provement. This pertains only to
rural districts. The increase in
value of land adjacent to cities
and towns is apparent as soon as
parts of Westchester county.
which is just north of New York
City. land values along improved
roads have gone up two hundred
per cent. within year after the
road was built.
They have encouraged travel.
The census of foreign cars. those
from other States. taken in New
York State in August, 1917, shows
1856 foreign cars in and out of
our state daily on four routes.
This average would hold up
through July. August and Septem-
berML, e. ninety days; which;
of those in and ouD would give
5000 cars during the season on
these four connections. Allowing
an average of <'ur passengers To
a car. this would mean 352.0S1
persons coming into the State. At
an expenditure of So a day a piece
too little. as any tourist knows
that would mean yearly gross
income to the State of sI,041,.
GOO for an average stay of four
DAYS. There are nineteen other
routes. all bringing tourists. The
income from this source shows
partly why good roads pay.
Advantage to the farmer from
our roads have been eXpatiated
upon-bctter market facilities.
lower freight rates. no idle teams.
and so forth and so forth. Certain
it is that the banks show a large
balance to the credit of New York
state farmers How much of this
is due To improved highways
makes interesting speculation.
We might have had more and
better highways for our money; in
many cases we should have had
them. Yet our investment has
probably added proportionately as
much to the welfare of the state
and its people as any other
amount eNpeHutu ultutTlO upon
public works.
If Pennsylvania road loan ac
complishes as much for this State
and there is every indication that tn
return will be far greater-the peo
pie will be we'll satisfied with thei
investment. That Mr.. Sadler ha
perceived the importance of build
ing less in volume and more in quail
ity is a sure sign OF sound busines
i'm his department. 1t would be cas-
to please the public for the momen
at the expense of the future. Blu
the present commissioner has no in
tention of merely playing to the gal
leries. He is building a road sys
TEN in PENNSYLVANIA that shall b
the foundation of our highways 70
all time to come, and he is MAXIM
good job of it.