Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-21
PROMISE Of
GOOD ROADS
F)R SOUTH
GOVERNMENT
Great Appropriation viii Be
Spent for Every State Will
ing to Lend Cooperation

With full State cooperation,
according to the terms of the
Federal-aid road act, the United
States will have a total of at
least 1914, 100000 for co-opera-
tive road building during the next
three years. The Federal part of
this fund is assured by an extra
appropriation of 100000, 700 in
the Postoffice appropriation bill
recently passed by Congress and
signed by the President.
Officials of the Bureau of Pub
lie Roads, United States Departs
ment of Agriculture, which adj
ministers the provisions of the
Federal-aid road act and CO.
operates with the State govern
ments in the expenditure of the
money, point out that this
amount of funds is the largest
ever appropriated for similar pur-
poses and for a similar period by
any Government in the history of
the world, and that it enables the
Federal and State governments to
carry out a bodybuilding pro-
gram of magnitude never
equaled.
In connection with the great
Federal-aid program, it is also
noted that expenditures for high
way work in the United States this
year are likely to amount to half
a billion dollars or more. On
reports received from State high
way departments, the Bureau of
Public Roads estimates the 1919
expenditures for roads and
bridges at 100000, or
$110, 900, 0C0. more than the aver
age expenditures for 1916 and
1917. ..I
Roads Definition BrOadened
An important effect of the law
containing the new appropriation
is that it broadens the definition
of rural post road, under which
class a-hfghway had to qualify in
I order to receive the benefits Of the
Federal-aid act. .
Under the old act it was re-
quired that mail should actually
be carried on the road or that
there should be reasonable pros
pect that mail would be carried
on it within a short time after
improvement. The new act says,
&C. the term rural ! post
roads shall be construed
to mean any public road a
major portion of which is now
used or car be used or forms a
connecting link not to exceed 10
miles in length of any road or
roads now or hereafter used, for
the transportation of the United
States mails, excluding every
street, and road in place having
a population, as shown by the
latest available Federal census, OF
$500 or more, except that por-
| ton Of any such street or road
along which the houses average
more than 200 feet apart"
Government Limit Raised
The new act also raises the
! Government limit of contribution
| from not to exceed $4,000 mile
| taking account of higher present
costs of labor and materials.
The law also authorizes the Sec
rotary Of War to transfer to the
Secretary of Agriculture material.
equipment, and supplies suitable
for highway improvement and not
needed by the War Department.
Of the 100000 added to
! the funds available under the
! Federal-aid road act, the new law
makes $9,O00,000 available for
expenditure by the Secretary OF
Agriculture for roads and trails
within or partly within the ma
| tional forests. It also provides
other measures which are expect
ed to give great impetus to the
DEVELOPMENT of the road systems
| in the national forests.
The original Federal-aid road
act, which became law in July,
1915, appropriated $75,O00,OOO to
aid in the construction of post
roads during a five-year period
ending June 80. 1921, and $10r
100000 to aid in forest-road
building during a 10-year period
ending June ~. 1870. NoL oNeI
100000 of the original $685.
100000 had been expended prior
to 1915, so that $82,000,000 plus
100000, or total Of $29i.-
100000 of Federal funds, will be
available during the next three
years. The act and its amend
ment require the states to provide
at least an equal amount on the
post-road work, and it is custom
ary for the states and Localities TO
contribute toward the forest-ro3d
work.
In the accompanying table OF
apportionment is shown approx
mately what each state will re-
ceive in Federal aid to post roads
under the terms of the original act
and under the amendment. 10