The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-04
State Highway Commission Out
lines Ambitious and Compre-
hensive Plan for Next Year
INCLUDES FEDERAL AID
FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES
State Highway System Will
Comprise Three Thousand Six
Hundred Miles of Which Four
Hundred Miles Have Been
Completed


resenting the highway program be-
fore the South Carolina highway
commission for next year as announc-
cd by officers OF highway department..
following their appearance before the
budget commission to outline the 1921
roadbuilding program. This total in
cludes federal aid, road and bridge
work to be paid for in 1921, projects
to be half completed next year main
tenance Of highway by state funds
and the construction of new roads
from proceeds of automobile licenses
and the two mill highway tax levy.
This does not include an even million
dollars paid out already on work
now under contract. part of which
will be completed next year. This
would bring the road program up to
nearly seven million dollars.
The highway officials. in asking for
their 1921 appropriations before the
budget commission, presented the
striking fact that the engineering ap-
preparation requested for 1921, to-
falling $147.S50, is only two and a
half per cent of the total value Of the
work to be undertaken, smaller
per centage, according to highway Of
ficials, than usual for highway work
The federal bureau Of public roads
II is stated, is allowed by law to spend
three per cent Of the federal aid APP
propriation, in addition to a lump sum
ior administration, and not includiu,,
the making OF road surveys or the
preparation of plans.
Highway officials, stated to the
budget commission that the state sys-
tenn comprises about 1900 miles o.
road. or this 400 miles are already
constructed and now under the state
maintenance system. a hundred
miles have been constructed on high
way department contracts, but are not
yet under state maintenance The de-
partment has under contract now
about 225 miles. with 272 miles sur
Veyed and plans completed and
ready for contract, and another 343
miles surveyed and planned, but pend
ing. There are $500 mics in the
system OH which the highway depart
ment is not now active
Prior to 1920 the department had
constructed 95 miles of road Dur
ing 1920 1t has already constructed
105 miles, and 225 miles are now un-
der contract. as compared with less
than 100 miles year ago. There are
9S projects under way now, as COM
pared with 50 a year ago.
South Carolina has not used half of
IT'S federal aid apportionment as yet.
IL has used $1.160.OOO. but $1,S62,-
S64 is Still available, before Juno 90,
1921. For the year ending June 80.
1922, the state will have $I,436,O10
OF federal aid available.
The highway department is asking
the legislature for appropriations
nearly n hundred thousand dollars
larger than last year, to take care Of
the increased program OF highway
progress. The total OF approp fia tons
asked of the budget commission 1T the
hearing this week is $263,243, us COM
pared with S15S.S63 appropriated for
the department last year, an increase
OF $94,3S0. There is an increase ask =
ed for the administration division,
also for the motor license division and
likewise for the engineering division.
The increase in the motor license di-
vision is needed, according to highway
oiIicials, largely for the purchase OF
Hcense plates. These will cost $l9,.
oO3. In 1920 the plates used were
pald Tor out of 1919 appropriations
An item of $4,000 is also included in
the requests, this to cover enforce
mcnt of the law requiring cars to car
ry current license numbers. In the en-
slneering division a new official, the
chlet of maintenance, and also the
new bridge engineer are TO be paid for
out of appropriations asked, increas-
ing the total IA compared with 1920
appropriations.
In the road program for 1921 is in
Guided one-half the cost Of erecting
four large steel bridges, the Santee
bridge, 10 cost $3.50, 900; the Pee Dee,
to cost 100000; the Sand Bar Ferry
bridge, to cost 100000, and the Wa
teree bridge. To cost $l5O,00O. The
total cost Of these bridges will be ST.
100000, OF which half. $7SO.0O0, is
included in the 1921 highway pro-
gram