The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-09-16

fair to say that the federal aid roa
act is not a cure-all. We are begin
ming to find out that there are som
things we cannot do, some, roads W
cannot improve, with federal aid
Federal aid is not applicable to al
the highway problems of Montana
While the administration of the &C
has of necessity been of gradual de
velopment, two and one-half years O
! experience with it has demonstrated
that in general the application of fed
eral aid in respect to Montana's high
ways is restricted, both as to loca
tion and type of construction.
State System Is Basis
All federal aid projects must b.
based upon a system of state high
ways the total mileage of which, a.
requested by the federal bureau O.
roads, shall not exceed 1000 miles
This regulation will permit the sub.
initial of projects lying N, say, two
main east and west highways and
four main north and south highways
traversing the state. The unfortun-
ate thing about it, however, is that
many of the important haulage roads
of the state do not lie on such a sys-
tenn of roads. Furthermore, since
the counties are paying the states
part of the cost of projects now un-
der construction, there has quite nat
urally been a disposition to view the
Importance of the project from the
state wide standpoint.
AS regards the type of improve
ment, the federal bureau of roads has
not always agreed with us that pro
jects approved and submitted by the
commission represented "substan-
tial' improvements as contemplated
by the act. 1t has not been an easy
thing to reconcile the federal govern
ment's requirements with what you
know and we know to be the imme-
date and urgent conditions affect
ing the road problem of Montana,
and in some cases it has been utterly
impossible to do SC.
Some Are Rejected
AS a result of this, not a few pro-
jects approved by the state highway
commission have been rejected by the
federal bureau Of roads with conse-
quent disappointment on the part of
state and local officials. But as I see
it, this condition does not Justify a
criticism of federal aid, but rather
forces us to a realization OF the
states responsibility in aiding the
several counties to meet a situation
rapidly growing beyond them.
l am positive that there are many
needed and worthy projects through
out the state for which no federal aid
can be secured, and I am just as posi-
tive that the state should participate
In the cost of such important pro-
jects. From the standpoint of Mon
tana's finances and Montana's condi-
tons, projects of the character re-
to are substantial. | feel safe
N assuring you that if the proposed
l5 million dollar bond issue is au-
by the people, the state will
recognize the necessity for the con-
'truction of certain road improve
nents in accordance with a standard
below that required by the provisions
II the federal aid road act.
State Aid Granted
The state highway commission has
established this precedent in
granting state aid in connection with
Dad betterments of substantial char
lcter for which no federal funds
aould be secured. {
The commission has been giving s
thought to the impera-
i've necessity for certain legislation !
elat1ng to highway matters. The (
Wo subjects that seem particularly |
-rgent at this time are these: K
Maintenance of highways. (
Control of weight and speed of a
a
Maintenance Is Essential G
we are embarking upon a road @
uilding program that will place :
lontana in the good road" class,
Mess we neglect to provide for the
of the highways we
uild. We admit the need for more
ighly improved roads and we must
the business requirement that
lis investment be maintained and
1 know of no more Sc
Gus phase of the highway problem
)nfront1ng us. On several occasions
,unty commissioners have confessed
me that the maintenance problem
fast getting beyond the ability of
lie counties.
The situation demands careful
fought and consideration; and it is
gnificant that your association has
rected its legislanEe committee to
ing this matter to the attention of
e neXt general assembly.
Excessive speed and weight of
affects materially the main
of highways, and they also
feet the safety of the travelling
lblic. As highway improvements
ogress, the speed of traffic will
crease unless it is controlled.
.oreover, if the weight of traffic is
rmitted to increase without res
Montana will find her high
ays of today destroyed by the ex-
and unanticipated loads of
morrow. The state highway com
.ssion solicits the earnest co-opera-
N of your association in devising
for the proper and equitable