The Pascagoula chronicle., 1920-09-10
FEDERAL AID BIG STIMULUS
HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION.
Operations Begun Thus Far Aggregate
More Than $4,000 Miles.


More Than $4,000 Miles.
The unprecedented stimulus given
highway construction in the United
States in the four years that have
passed since the Federal Government
entered upon it's policy of aiding road
improvement is shown by the fact that
road operations under the Federal aid
road act thus far initiated aggregate
in length nine times the distance from
New York to San Francisco, according
to Thomas H. Macdonald, Chief of
the Bureau of Public Roads, United
States Department of Agriculture.
The Federal Governments share in
this stupendous undertaking is greater
than the cost of the Panama Canal.
The participation Of the National Gov
ernment in highway improvement
marked departure from a policy
which had been followed for nearly a
century Federal cooperation with
the States on approximately "50-50"
basis has counted more than any other
factor, says Mr.. Macdonald, in initial
ing highway construction that is be-
ing carried on under adequate super
vision, and in accord with a program
co-ordinating local, State and national
needs.
Highways Of Durable Types.
Second only in Importance to the
size of the present road-building pro-
gram is the excellence of the charact-
er of the roads being built. Sixty
per cent of the total allotment of
Federal funds which has been apprOv-
ed to date will be spent for roads of
such durable types as bituminous con-
crete, Portland cement concrete, and
vitrified brick. These roads, when !,
built, will increase by 10000 miles the
total of 4,400 miles of roads of this
class which existed in the United
States before the Federal aid road law |
was passed. But these figures by no
means represent the total mileage
affected.
In 1915 the total expenditure for
roads and bridges by all the States
and local governments was $267,O00,- |
900, while this year the estimated
funds available for main road con
struction are nearly three times that
or $633, 100000 In ell, Fed
eral funds to the amount of $266,750,-
900 have boen apportioned among 4S
States without suggestion OF fav-
adequate are the provis- !
ions for a just apportionment.
Far-Reaching Results.
One of the early and most far-reach-
ing results directly attributable to the
adoption of the Federal aid program
was the creation of adequate State
highway departments in II States
which previously had either. no State
department. or departments insult
fciently equipped. Within one year
after the passage of the Federal aid
road act more constructive State high
way legislation was placed upon the
statute books than had ever been en-
acted in a similar period in the history
Of the country.
The insistence of the Government
upon the construction of Federal-aid
roads under the supervision or en-
gineers of the State departments has
resulted in placing much larger
proportion of road work under skilled
direction. In 1915, the year before
the Federal-aid act was passed, only
80 per cent of the money for roads and
bridges built in the United States was
expended under the supervision or
State highway departments. Tnis
year these departments will exercise
control over fully so per cent OF the
large sums that will be spent for road
building.
The Federal Governments present
program of highway improvement is
the result of two acts: The Federal |
aid road act, signed by the President
July II, 1916, and provisions in the
Postoffice appropriation bill for 1920
signed February 2S, 1919, containing
an amendment to the original Federal
aid road act. The original appropria-
tion of $4,000, 900 was made available
for rural post roads in installments
at the rate of $5,O00.O00 for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1917; SlO,OOO,ooo
for the fiscal year 1918; $15,OOO,ooo
for the year 1919; $2O,O0O,OOO for the
wear 1920: and $25,O0O,0OO for the
fiscal year ending June, 1921. Ten
million dollars for forest roads was
made available at the rate of $l,000,-
900 year after July l, 1916. The ap-
portionment of the post-road approp-
riations of the States, after deductihs
the administrative fund. which must
not exceed per cent, is based upon
area. population. and mileage OF rural
delivery and star routes III eaeh
State. Each of these factors mas
weight of one-third.
Federal Activities Broadeneo.
Three months after the signing OIL
the armistice the Postoffice appropria-
ton bill for 1920 became law one
of the important amendments which
il contained that the term rural post
roads" as used in the earlier act. was
to be construed to mean ANY pubic
road portion of which is now useu
mr. can be used or forms connecting
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