El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-04-17

TITS IS 10 be The biggest year IN
road building that the United
States has ever seen Ten years
ago the average nan seemed TO be
content with the roads that his father
or grandfather used, hut education
and TIA uutiriuE efforts OF q Jew men
nave pounded the lesson Of good roads
SO persist-ntly that everyone .
boosting for them now
George r. Diehl, Chairman OF the
good roads hoard Of the American
Automobile association. WAS one q
the pioneers in the building OF good
roads in this country, and the fol-
lowing interview by him IN a recent
issue OF tie New York Times Is N
teresting;
.-Nsither enthusiasm nor money f
lacking to carry on in the United
States The greatest road building era
in the worlds history. Even the most
conservative observers place this ls-l
road funds a not less than Sleo.ooe.-
zoe. outside OF cities and municipali-
IeE, and the estimates run all the
way to a billion dollars. Time was
when people had 20 be urged 70 build
Cood roads. Now Il is the part OF
wisdom 70 curb IN some cases the
fersrish ruad building enthusiasm.
This curb VIII be automatically ap-
piled IN sDne respects. this year, By
me Imit Of capacities q Qu1rries.
gravel pits. asphalt rofineries. cement
mills and brick plants, 70 produce
hy the Inability OF railroads %
furnish enough open top cars for
hauling materials. and the incapa-
bilitv Of the contractors and road
building plants 70 take On additional
work.
work Proceeding
Thanks in part to the efforts OF
viii proceed as rapidly as physical
capacity permits This does not
mean. however. nat the problem is
solved Motor traffic constitutes the
us-errThelminz preponderance Of all
traffic on country roads TO-DAY.
There are bervTecn seven and
ciEht million motor vehicles, and
The farmer Is the largest owner
81 tEia fern % transportation.
Those roads should first be con- Z
structed which VIII serve the greatest I
volume OF motor traffic, and which I
cost burden on the motor vehicle I
Gradually The roads Of the several I
states are being classified into state 4
and county systems. II seems GER i
tain that in the not distant future 1
there VIII be a further classific aLou I
3 s. the motorists duty to help along I
the movement 50 that there shall be I
three economically sound classes OF I
highways Er2ta ana county.
There must Be heavy service
roads and Tight service roads. bear
ing n mind that economy on the
heavy service roads win doubtless
soon demand heavier loads and
greater speeds. Building roads for
motor traffic means. therefore, de-
slguing the road from I've distinct
stau1po namely, passenger and
light freight travel and heavy travel /
Even with the large sums available,
~
many decades IL $4,000 q mile roads 1
are built 10 sustain light or infre-
quaut traffic. Il would, OF course, be
equally Wastaful 60 build q light road /
on e route subjectsd to the peneerous
LraE1lc OF the modem motor truck
II would Be quite evident that with
more than 2.5oo,1eo miles OF road in
The United states by far the greatest
percentage must be those designed to
carry relatively liEht traffic It is no
more than equity and common sense
&c Try TO so balance our road pro-
3 rerne each year as to serve the
largest number OF people consistent
vita caring Tor the essential needs
q business traffic
I've Euportuns Elemenfs
Lhere are two important elements
" tre problem. namely, tbs road and
ne vehicle Not only must roads be
lalif % resist Ins destructive action
p rraILlcI but also 70 infllct the least
mount Of damage On the vehicle it.
SEX How important that Is can be
saclly Erasped by consideration Of
ne 1act that 100000 four Wheeled /
1olsr vehicles carry $4,000, 900 tires.
n these tires average SIS apiece. they
BRING about che total OF $500. oo0, 600,
lnd WITH renewals. Il Is hardly an ,
AasEe Grafton 70 put our annual tire
~ a sLooe.000. 900. This figure IS
rot exact but. whatever the exact
lslre may De. the point IS clear that
iAE TIRE Dll ls at least equal to the
snrire expenditure for highway con-
= lcllons maiutenauce and MANAGE
nent IN the United States.
= Is hoped that crRanized motor
ION and tn6 automobils Industry VIII {
ma ont how fast tires wear cut On
ne existing standard types q pave :
nenla- another curious fact Is that s
le n1Fa no comprehensive Statistics {
2 snoE the amount OF gasoline re-
~ ca 20 Qropel an automobile az z ]
slTen weight and design over a rsive-,
Instance On each type OF road Eurfsce.
what II Means :
consider what Il means ~ for l. /
.-svst Fsnic-es we assume a yearly Z
-geraEe OF 5000 miles, or 10000 .O00- ! I
w miles and even al 20 miles % fhsi :
s1-iion n THIS would indicate Sometime ]
IKE @.gsusgV0so9e gallons OF Gasoline l Z
" EeA ever $5eos9o0.66o annually.
1-otof trucks IN conjunction With / I
90 Eo@aa NOT only form a trsmen-
Dusty important economic asset "a I z
ne nation. but would be a natio1 :
aver n lie event OF a nstionu-ids :
--As.ag slE4ker with q CONSEQUENT Z
- A1gzla OF our transportation gvs- Z
-. --isnhAT programs have pro- {