The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-03-28
20 - 4 a a. 4
PAVING MAIN HIGH
WAYS SOUND and
ECONOMIC MEASURE
Economic Reasons for
Paving Country
Highways
QUESTION OF WEAR
BY WILLIAM F. LONG


than to pay mud tax, is saying
which is more typical of the truth
than the one ut is cheaper to buy
than to pay rent In that connec-
ton 1t is quite interesting to note
that the farmer and others living in
the country districts adhere to
stringently and believe in the latter,
but are inclined to ignore the former
The reverse is generally true of the
city man. At first thought the rea-
sons for this are not very apparent.
Probably it is the mud, more than
anything else which inspires the
country man to pull up stakes" and
seek refuge in the city. Arriving
there he seeks a home on paved
street, SO that the new environment
will differ as much as possible from
the old. While buying home might
be decidedly more economical than
renting one, he is content to pay the
difference for the sake of living
where he won't be obliged to wade
knee-deep in the mud and dust he
just left.
Paving street in the city is
far more costly enterprise and nets
considerably less returns to those
paying the bill than paving an i'm
portant country highway. City streets
are paved more for esthetic than for
economic reasons, for the majority
of property owners use the side
walks and the street cars far more
than the street pavements. On the
other hand, when one considers that
the country highway is generally the
only means of transportation which
the farmer possesses, it is quite diff
ficult to understand why so much
paving it to be found in the city and
SO little in the country.
Being unable to understand this
fact becomes still more difficult after
one has analysed the actual costs of
paving in both places and has COM
pared the results. A few calcula-
lions will show this very plainly:
City Pavement
Assume lot 800 feet deep facing
a street seventy-five feet wide be-
tween cutters, and upon which there
is a double track trolley line. Since
the trolley line must pave it's own
right of way, which is generally
tWenty-one feet wide, there would be
left a strip fifty-four feet in width,
the paving Of equal portions of which
must be borne by the property own
ers on opposite sides of the streets.
AS the average cost of paving city
street is $2.40 per square yard, to
which must be added and additional
charge of about $1.00 per lineal foot
for the curb and gutter, there would
result total cost to the abutting
owner of $500 per foot
Again considering that the property
in question is 800 feet deep, this cost
per lineaI foot would be the euuiva-
lent to $1190 per acre.
Country Roads
Assume an eighteen foot wide con-
crete road running lengthwise thru
county upon either side of which
are farm lands extending for three
miles. Here the, abutting property
which is served by the concrete road,
instead of being 800 feet in depth is
three miles. Assuming further that
he concrete road will cost $40 per
square yard (Which is about correct
.or this Inter-mOuntain country the
let cost per foot of abutting property
would also be $2.40, or only $500
)er acre.
1ity Paving Costs 800 Times More
Than Country Paving
Eleven hundred ninety dollars per
ere to the city man for paving and
$3.50 per acre to the farmer! It is
indeed most difficult to understand
Why most of the paving in the United
'tates is to be found in the cities
lnder these conditions. It is be-
ause the country man is really at
ached to his mud and dust environ
nents?
financing the Cost of the Permanent
Country Highway
The only logical and economical
.ay Of raising sufficient funds to con-
truct a system Of permanent high
rays is by a bond issue. For in
lance, say 1t was desired to pay Off
ne above debt Of $500 in a period
years, by what is commonly known
the annuity plan. Basing our cal
ulations on an interest rate Of 5 per
ent, and including a sufficient
mount with which to maintain the
eW highway, we find that an annual
ayment of SO cents per acre is re-
uired.
oncrete Road Will Cost II Cents
More Per Acre Than the I'm
improved Highway
But the old unimproved highway A
'sts something to maintain and
'rtnkle. Where traffic conditions III