Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-05-08
GOOD ROADS

No local subject is of more immediate and vital i'm
portance to this community than that of good roads, and
it is gratifying to note that the importance of the subject
is becoming more and more generally recognized. The
life of the city depends largely on the character of t he
roads leading in to 1T, and equally the prosperity of the
rural districts is involved in the character of the wagon
roads giving them access to Grand Forks. The interest
is mutual, and can not be separated. During the past
few years a great deal Of work has been done in gravel
ing the country highways in this vicinity. The work
already done has been very beneficial, and it will be
more and more valuable as the years pass If it is kept
up until a solid gravel bed is established where the traf-
fc is the heaviest. Various agencies are at work for the
promotion of this work. The national government has
started a valuable work in the interest Of good roads
through cooperation with state and local authorities.
The state government is following suit. Boards of county
commissioners are displaying a lively interest, in the sub
ject and are showing every disposition to cooperate with
the other units. Township boards are very generally
taking steps to improve their own roads. In the city of
Grand Forks the Commercial club has been at work for
years in the stimulation of the good roads movement,
and the city council as a body, and especially through
its streets and alleys committee. is active in the formula
ton of plane for the improvement of the main high
ways leading to and from the city. which, are within
the control of the city government.
All. these agencies working together are bound to
produce results. The ideal, of course, is the paved high
ways. That ideal is not always or. Immediately possible,
to realize. The graveled' road is undoubtedly the next
best substitute, and if properly constructed with due re-
gard for drainage, crown, and such maintenance as is
necessary to check the formation of ruts in their early
stages, the graveled road will give very satisfactory
service. Within the limits of the city every main thor
oughfare should be paved with a permanent pavement
Concrete appears to be the most satisfactory material
for general use\ in this climate. land the character Of SEN
timent expressed in various recent discussions furnishes
good reason for the expectation that within a very short
time every Grand Forks street connecting with the main
country highways will be we'll paved to the city limits.
In certain cases it will be necessary for the city itself to
b assume the major portion Of this, cost. as the expense
would be prohibitive if borne entirely by the owners Of
adjacent property. County commissioners will undoubt-
eddy be willing to cooperate in every reasonable way.
East Grand Forks is outside the jurisdiction Of this city,
but the interests of both cities as well as of the adjacent
country districts are involved in the maintenance of the
best possible country, roads connecting with the street
systems of the two cities. The building of good roads
entails a rather large initial expense. Some annual ex-
pense for maintenance thereafter. is necessary, but the
mud road entails large and continuous expense to be
kepetin passable condition even under the most favor
able circumstances, and there are times when the earth
robe is an inpossibilty. But whatever the expense may
roads because the hauling charge over a poor road is
many times what it will be if the roads are put in good
condition. 1t is more satisfactory and more profitable
for all the people to spend a reasonable amount of money
on the construction and maintenance of good roads than
it is to spend an even greater amount of money and labor
in the attempt to do business in the mud.