The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1919-03-04
GREAT ROAD
BUILDING PROGRAM
Largest Amount of Money
Ever Set Aside by Any
Nation in the World
$574,ooo,ooo FOR ROADS

@OS7SVVV,VOV ON AN>7NS
Washington, D. c., Mar. 3-With
full State cooperation according to
the terms of the Federal Aid Road
Act, the United States will have a
total of at least $574,000,OO0 for
cooperative road building during
the next three years. The Federal
part of this fund is assured by an
extra appropriation of $2O9,OO0,O00
in the Post Office appropriation bill
just passed by Congress and signed
by the President.
Officials of the Bureau of Public
Roads, U. S. Department of Agricul-
ture, which administers the provis-
ions of the Federal Aid Road Act
and cooperates with the State gov
ernments in the expending of the
money, point out that this amount
of funds is the largest ever appro-
priated for simila" purposes and for
a cimilar period by any government
in the history of the world, and that
it enables the Federal and State
governments to carry out road
building program of a magnitude
never equaled.
In connection with the great Fed
eral-aid program it is also noted
that expenditures for highway work
in the United States this year are
likely to amount to a half billion or
more. On reports received from
State highway departments, the Bu-
reau Of Public Roads estimates the
1919 expenditures for roads and
bridges at $SS5,0OO,O00, or $110,-
900, 900 more than the average ex-
penditures for 1915 and 1917.
An important effect of the law
containing the new appropriation is
that it broadens the definition of a
rural post road, under which class
highway had to qualify in order
to receive the benefits OF the FEEDER
al aid act.
The new act also raises the Gov
ernment limit sof contribution from
not to exceed $4,000 a mile to not
exceed $4,000 a mile, taking &C
count of higher present costs Of la
Dor and materials.
The law also authorizes the Sec
retary of War to transfer to the
Secretary of Agriculture material,
equipment and supplies suitable for
highway improvement and not need
ed by the War Department.
OF the 9,O00,0 900 added to the
funds available under the Federal
Aid Road Act, the law makes $9,-
100000 available for expenditure
by the Secretary of Agriculture for
roads and trails within or portly
within the national forests. It al
so provides other measures which
are expected to give great impetus
to the development Of the road sys-
| tenn in the national forests.
The original Federal Aid Road
Act, which became law in July,
1916, appropriated $75,000,o00 to
aid in the construction of post
roads during five-year period end
ing June 80, 1921, and 100000
to aid in forest-road building dur
ing ten-year period ending June
30, 1925. Not over 100000 of
the original $S5,0OO,00o had been
expended prior to 1919, SO that $82,
100000 plus 100000, 900, or a to-
tai of $291,000,000 of Federal
funds, will be available, Of which
$2S7 100000 will be available dur
ing the next three years. The act
and its amendment require the
States to provide at least an equal
amount on the post-road work, and
1t is customary for the States and
localities to contribute toward the
forest-road work.
In the accompanying table Of ap-
portionment is shown approximate
ly what each State will receive in
Federal aid to post roads under the
terms of the original act and under
the amendment.