The Penn's Grove record., 1919-06-20
new JERSEYS
HIGHWAY PLANS
All Government Restrictions or
Jersey Road Making Have
Been Removed.
FEDERAL AID OF $500 31. 2a
At Present Time Work Involving 49,
447 Miles of Roads and Upward of
S4, ooo, 900 in Money Is Un-
der Construction.

Trenton. - All federal government
restrictions on the state highway de-
partment of New Jersey have been re-
moved, and the commission, through
its chairman, John W. Herbert, has
announced its plan to complete two
years of work during the building sea-
sen of the present year. The commits
sion SAYS that it confidently expects
that the close of the present season
Will find at least 100 miles of new work
finished upon the most important OF
the state highway systems. Until this
time tie commission was restricted to
work to roads of military importance.
At the present time work involving
79447 miles Of roads and upward of
100000 in money is under eonStrue-
tfCn. OF the mileage T0.1S9 is under
contract with private contractors at
prices ~aggregating t5f,465.S2, while
state labor is building 9,25S miles at a
cost of S523,445.
The large cost per mile for the latter
mileage is due to the great amount OF
excavation and grading which the
work involves. To this work actually
under way can be added 12,9S5 miles
more. at an estimated cost of SOIL
1S23S. OF this mileage les miles will
be constructed by state labor. at a cost
estimated at S~394,0I611. while bids
will lie received from private contrac-
tors and contracts awarded for the re.
naming $500 miles during the next
few weeks. The state highway en-
gincer estimates that ttIis work should
cost Approximately S537, 136.27. Here
again heavy excavation, grading,
drainage and other engineering prob
lens make for high average cost pei
mile.
A of these facts shows
that there is now, or soon will be, I'M
der way upon the routes of the state
highway system a icy construction
upon 92,432 miles of highways, inyolv-
ing OUTLAWS of $1,000, 093.6S.
These projects, which are IS in num-
Der, will affect all but three Otoutes
} I, II and 12) of the Is routes of the
state Highway system. Their compile
ton will have a profound and benefi-
ial-iuauence upon the economic wei
fare of the state. Indeed, it is not too
much to say that every county and
every city, town, borough, village and
township will feel the quickening i'm
pulls If the imprOv,d transportation
facilities afforded by the putting
through of the commissions 1919 pro,
gram.
Tie work to be done on Routes l, >
and Is will provide traffic with first
class all the year around ~pavements
throughout the entire distance from
Newark to Camden. The projects I'M
der way or contemplated for ROUTE }
will do the same for through traffic
running from Camden to Atlantic
City. The work prescribed for Route
4 Will make safe and comfortable the
delightful and much used highway run
ming from Railway, in Route l. through
Perth Amboy, Keyport, Asbury Park,
over to Lakewood and then down
through Toms River, Barpegat and
TuCkertOn to AbSecon. there connect
ing with routes running to Atlantis
City and Cape May.
1t is on Section LA of Route 10,
however, that the commission will III
dertake during this years building
season the greatest engineering task
with which if will be confronted upon
the entire highway system. This sec
ton embraces II miles Of the route
which runs from Fort Lee Ferry on
the Hudson northwest to Paterson, a
distance of 11.S miles. It's immediate
construction is an imperative necessi-
tv in order to relieve the congestion of
traffic, which in ever swelling volume
is seeking entrance into and egreSs
from the state at this point. Bids for
this work were advertised for on May
S. and the contract has been awarded
for Si66, S97.15.
Upon the completion of the neces
Sary new construction on the highway
routes here discussed the commission
will at once take them over from coun-
ty and other subordinate jurisdiction
into state control. After this pro-
cedure such highways will ever after
be maintained and administered sole
ly by the state highway at state eX-
pense. The commission is now giving
much attention to the upbuilding of a
permanent maintenance staff, whose
duty it shall be to preserve the state
highways at all times in top notch con-
.ditiOn.
The projects enumerated for the 9th
err routes which already have been. or
soon will be, undertaken under the
1919 work plans do not contemplate
the immediate or early resumption of
by the State Highway Commits
sion. They are rather designed to
keep open and disable these important
thoroughfares pending the time that
the commission has the
available to put them in first class
shape throughout their entire length
and breadth. This is particularly true
for such a route as No s, where work
to be done will provide travellers
through Essex, Passaic and Morris
counties with continuous smooth pave
mont from NOntclair 70 Butler and