Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-21

4 roads, We shall lie abe 20 undertake
extensive road-buildng operations IN
. every county.
In the coming few years we ought TO
accomplish mnch toward providing u
network OF good highways. reuching every
important point. with through, routes
traNellable at all times, from end to
end OF the state. and connecting with
the main highways in our neishboring
commemorative.
or course. the whole amount Of the
S60,oOOOub loan. If II should all he useti
would not improve the entire STATE
highway system, nor can all of the wor,
Planned he done at once, but ii will be
a wonderful advantage 20 the people Of
Pennsylvania to have good main roads
and every mile OF highway permanently
improved will carry ito lesson of com
tort and facility and local pride with
Inc Splrli or progress into our cOmmuni-
ties The question Of the selection of
the roads 10 he first improved will he
an important one, and the problems Of
Tie character and plan Of the new
construction will require much study.
MY own thought is that the general
noncF should he the bringing of the
creates, good 10 the creates number of
our people. and our actions will be baseI
Upon our Judgment with this desire con-
staNtIy in nnd
Some changes in the organization and
methods Of the Highway Department
Will be necessary to enable Il to handle
greatly increased amount of work ami
legislation Will be repaired 10 give Your
executive and fiscal authorities the legal
machinery for issuing ana marketing the
5tc,NlueS representing the loans which
viii De required. The 81 are matters of
detail which viii he dealt with in sub
Stuueht recommends tions to the General
Assembly. We should also give attcu-
lIOO 10 some plans for improving the
local road conditions throughout tnc
St2tc. This is one OF the most nerplcN %
lnp situations which We have TO deal
with. The State Highway department
mas done nycn 10 help the Organization
ana administration of our townshi ips,
but much more remains to be done.
IN considering matters relating to our
h'ghWaEs 1t IS necessary TO give some
attention to the regulation of automo-
BILE traffic. I'll" conditions growing out
of the war made the greatly extended
Use of mplOr,ruck transportation ne
c"SSitN, and with tine development Of tIo
couHtr. TINS great agent in handling
paSsenger> and materials must bc recl;-
oned win mon" and more. We must
extend every facility for the busme Ss
vehicle but We must also enforce our
- reasonable rvLuldtiOHS regarding It's use.
Il was never intended that vehicles rs
large and aS u'ayy as railway cars
should trdN"! the public roads at high
sneed, ana the law provides limits ~ To
I the weight aud the size of such trucks
No road Wh.ru can he built, cNrep1 il
he constructed Of steel, can stand the
stress and hnDacr Of such trucks mov-
ing at from ten to thirty miles au huur
and weighing With their loads from
hft"cn To thirty tons The state can
not furnish especial highways for this
Kind of traffic and il is unreasonable and
unfair to the other users Of the roads
ana to the nublic who pa-' for them
to permit the laws to be violated OuI
roads to he destroyed and our Ueopl,' :
yves cnuanSrred by such selfish uper-
ntIonS Teeth must be nut into the
laws governing these conditions aud nov
thnt the war II over, and the only eN.
cusr for tolerating these abuses la,
nassed' We must put stop 10 them.
Higher License Fees
Plans are under consideration for 8
revision and extension of the auto.
mobile license laws, Increases In H.
cense fees are warranted and especia lis
So in the case OF high-nowcred cars ant
trucks Of heavy burden. Ii costs more
10 bui.d and maintain roads than 4
did and the income for this purpoSI
from those who use the roads shoult
he Increased. There should also be 9
distinctive license classification and Z
higher tax upon mOtorcars used fol
business purposes aud upon regular pas
senger and freight routes. The State re
cciNes very large portion Of its presen
revenue from the tax which Is laid upol
the securities ANA the gross incomes %
COl OlpordtiOus engaged in the business o
transportation aud it should receive
very considerable share of the income o.
pthers engaged in similar enterprises II
competitions with these taN-paying cor
uorat ions and using the highways main
tanned at public expense.
In view OF the difficulties experienced
hy our municipalities in the upkeep o
their streets 1t would seem that ther,
should be returned to these municipal
4 tiles for highway maintenance portion
of .apY increase In license fees upon mo
torears received By the State. ThI