The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-05
GREAT ROAD BUILDING
ENABLED By new LAW
Amount OF Money Available for Fed
eral Aid In Highway Building Is
Largest Ever Set Aside by Any
Nation In the World.

| Washington. d. c., March with
run state cooperation according to
| the terms of the Federal aid road act.
the United States will have a total Of
Mt least $574,000.000 for cooperative
road building during the next three
~ ass.lrt J. IL Tx; ~ as s. 1e a.aa
Of S209. poo. 900 In the ,postoffice APP
preparation blu just passed BY con-
gress and signed by the president.
Omctals OF the bureau OF public
roads. United States department Of
Agriculture. which administers 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 10 the largest ever appropriated
for similar purposes and for a similar
period by any government in the his
tory OF the world, and that II enables
the federal and state governments to
carry out a bodybuilding program of
a magnitude never equaled.
In connection with the great fed
erai aid program 1t Is also noted that
expenditures for highway work in the
tamount to a half billion dollars or
more. On reports received from the
state highway departments. the bu-
reau Of public roads estimates the
1919 expenditures for roads and
bridges at $385.000.0 900. or $4,000
/ 600 mort than the average expendi-
lures for 1918 and 1917.
Definition Broadened.
| An important effect of the law con-
tanning the new appropriation is that
it broadens the definition of rural
post road, under which class q high
way had to qualify in order to receive
the benefits OF the federal aid act.
Under the old act it was required
that mail should actually be carried
on the road or that there should be a.
reasonable prospect that mail would
be carried on 1t within a short time
after improvement. The new act says
the term rural post roads shall be
construed to mean any public road, a
major portion of which Is now used
or can be used. or forms connecting
link not to exceed ten 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 a pldce having
population. as shown by the latest
available federal census. of $500 or
more, except that portion of any such
street or road along which the houses
average more than 200 feet apart"
Limit Raised.
The new act also raises the govern
ment limit of contribution from not to
exceed $4,000 q mile to not to ex--
coed $4,000 a mile, taking account
of higher present costs OF labor and
materials.
| The law also authorizes the secre-
tary of war to transfer to the secre-
tary of agriculture material, equip
ment and SUPPLIES suitable for highway
i'm prayem and NOT nacdad nv fha
war department.
OF the s20s 100000 added to the
funds available unded the federal aid
road act. the new law makes 9.000.-
900 availabel for expenditure by the
secretary of agriculture for roads and
trails within or. partly within the ma
ttonal forests. 1t also provides other
measures which are expected to give
great impetus to the development OF
the road systems in the national for
ests.
| The original federal aid road act.
which became law In July, 1915. APP
! propriated 100000 to aid in the
construction of post roads during q
! flve-year period ending June 80. 1921.
and s10.000,000 to aid in forest-road
building during a ten year period end
ing June 30, 1926. Not over $4,000
900 of the original $S5.000,000 had
been expended prior to 1919. go that
| $s2,000,000 plus 5000, 900, 900. or a to-
tai of 1891, 100000 of federal funds.
will be available, of which $2S7,000.-
600 will be available during the next
three years The act and it's amend
ment require the states TO provide at
! least an equal amount on the post
road work. and it is customary for the
states and localities to contribute to-
ward the forest road work.
1