Arizona republican., 1920-01-27
HOW DELAWARE IS
 MEETING ITS STATE
 HIGHWAY PROBLEMS

What 1t means for a state to take
 hold of it's road problem from d state
 point ot view, is set forth in the
 Story of Delaware Highways" just published by the Delaware State Pro- gram. The Delaware State Program Is a cooperative agency representing five official state departments. one of which is the highway department.
 About five years ago there was not one mile of really permanent road, in the modern. meaning of the term, in the state of Delaware. Today there Is under construction or immediately planned well conceived plan of pri- mary north to south state roads sup plemented by an extensive system of state aid' roads running east to west and connecting with the state system. True, tho roads are not completed and not all Of them are yet under con tract. The state primary system as outlined covers 2IO miles, of which 13 miles are now complete
 Like most of the other states of the country in their modern road build ing programs, Delaware is a convert to the concrete road. There are many arguments for the concrete road. but the outstanding one is the small cost of maintenance. The experience of Wayne county, Michigan, a pioneer in trying out the concrete road seems 10 have proved this4 to say nothing of the later experience of other states and LII Niie DEidWaTe nlEn- way pamphlet it is set forth that the cost of maintaining one mile of con crete road per year does not exceed an average of $100 per mile-a vivid contrast to the sums, ranging up 10 Sl.50O or beyond. per mile. which are still being expended in many commit mites for road maintenance
 Road building as a state enterprise IS still not very fully developed in this country. The Delaware state high way department was not established until 1917. In Delaware as in other states. the work that would normally have been done during the past few years was greatly held up by the war time cost of labor and materials. and by the rulings of the war industries board. the capital issue committee. etc In view of these things the Del aware story of state roads is a story of distinct accomplishment.
 ''State Aid" a Feature
 One very interesting point brought out in the pamphlet is the growth of the state aid' idea. Inevitably when a state takes hold of it's roads as a state matter, it comes at once tu recognize the need of an effective state aid' system. Up to the present time Delaware has been appropriating as state aid' for road building only S30,000. $10,000 for each county This year the state highway department ia making available for state aid" road work $750,000 - 5250,OO0 for each county.
 Another interesting point that comes out Tn the Delaware pamphlet is the increase in state funds for road build ing through automobile receipts. In Delaware state road funds come from TWO SourceS-income tax revenue over s25o,000 (which is very smalD and au- tomobife receipts, including fees for registration of vehicles and fees for the licenses of drivers. It is a notable -act that the automobile receipts forl nine months of the year 1919 vera almost eight times what they were for he entire year 1914. and more than jouble what they were in 1917 The volume or automobile traffic works both ways. It makes modern perma lent roads more than ever necessary, put it also provides a not inconsider- lble source of revenue with which to )ulru and to maintain them
 Of Interest to Engineers
 oI especlal interest to engineers and 'oad builders everywhere will be that section of the Delaware highway pam ,hlet which deals with the organiza- ion of the department and the pro- 'edure and methods of work The lme Is past when a state can perpe- rate with safety the political maca- lam road of old times. Modern roads Ire expensive and the citizens of the tate are going to notice it if they do lot last. Among the policies noted in he Delaware pamphlet for securing .ood roads are: The engaging of reli- Lble contractors no matter whether hey live inside the state or out: state for testing the materials Ised in he roads in the states own aboratory; and good' inspection
 The chief engineer of the delaware highway system is Charles M. Upham. Before he became head of the state highway system he constructed the du 'ont Boulevard in southern Delaware.
 Copies of the pamphlet on the Del- ware roads may be secured from the Delaware State Program, Tenth and larket streets, Wilmington, Delaware.
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