Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-01-10
GREATEST ROAD
BUILDING Year
1919 Exceeded Ali Records In
Highway Construction-How
Government Helps

Wv dSlllllS lOli, II. y. Jan. =
The greatest road building pro-
gram in the history of the coun-
TRY is now under way and will ex-
tend throughout the year 1920,
according to David F. Houston,
Secretary Of Agriculture, in
; whose department is the Federal
good roads bureau.
| Secretary Houston says road
work has been facilitated and
much impetus given the good
roads movement by the amend
ments to the Federal aid road act.
These amendments were adopted
during the o5th Congress, which
was under democratic control.
! Discussing the nationwide
campaign for better roads, which
are made possible by Federal aid
in conjunction with the States,
Secretary Houston says:
| 1t is interesting to note that up
to July 1, 1919, state bond issues
aggregating $224,800,0O0, had
been authorized and approved by
popular vote and that provision
has been made for voting next
year on proposals for the issuance
of additional state road bonds to
the extent of approximately 1914
100000. During the present and
next fiscal year there will be
made available for road improve
ment at least one billion dollars.
Certainly few laws, if any, have
produced greater results. either in
terms of expenditure for a good
purpose or in terms OF helpful
Legislation and machinery, than.
the Federal aid road act.
1t seems clear, in the circum-
stances, that the principal limit
ing factors in the 1920 program
will be those offrail transporta-
ton for, and production of, slita-
bic road material, the contractors
organizations available, and the
labor supply.
Secretary Houston says the
1919 program for road building
was greater than any preceding
year and was so great, in fact,
that many of the states must
postpone until 1920 the exbendi-
ture of Federal funds simply be-
cause it is necessary to develop
experienced contracting and en-
gineering organizations from the
stagnant condition brought about
by the war.
Under the terms of the Federal
road act the apportionment to
state for one fiscal year remains
available for. expenditure until
the end of the secceeding year. It
is estimated at the Department OF
| Agriculture that the funds al
ready provided and allotted will
be- sufficient to finance next year
la program more than four times
greater than any that has been
undertaken.
Amendments to the Federal
road act which the 65th Congress
approved are explained, in brief,
to increase from $4,000 to $2O,-
1000 per mile the amount of FEEDER
Ial funds that may be expended by
one road, and to broaden consid-
erably the definition of what con-
Istitutes rural post road.
| Under the original wording of
the law Federal funds could be
expended only on roads upon
which the United States mails
"now or may be hereafter trans
ported" This feature was the
most troublesome to the highway
departments of the several states
and caused delays because it re-
Iquired the determination in each
instance of the exact post-rotte
! Status of the road. t
| Under the amendment, very
few, if any, important roads will
| be debarred from receiving Fed
|eral aid if other requirements of
the law are met. The act as it
now stands, Secretary Houston
says, places only three limitations
on the type of road which must
be built. The roads aided must
| be substantial in character.
| Amount contributed from the
! Federal treasury must not exceed
so per cent of its cost or $4,000
per mile. Finally the road must
be a postroad as defined in the
amended law.
! Following the amendments to
i the act, Secretary Houston add.
j ed, the regulations governing its
administration and the standard
flor plans, specifications and esti-
i mates were modified and one Of.
1.-THE most, successful former state
I11iorf1 wa W IN oireerc In the ro,1f7ffv