Manchester Democrat., 1921-10-12
IOWA ROAD BODY
FOR HARD ROADS
HIGHWAY COMMISSION EXPLAINS
ATTITUDE TOWARDS I'M
PROVEMENT WORK.
GRAVEL UPKEEP is TOO COSTLY
Expression OF Opinion Contained in
Letter Received by Secretary
OF Chamber OF Commerce.
telegraph h-Herald)


over gravel on primary country roads
are outlined in letter received
from the state highway commission
by Dave Cassatt, secretary or the
Dubuque Chamber of Commerce, to-
day. That the commission also fay
ors such hard-surIaclng is also con-
tanned in the communication which
is reprinted below:
Ames, Ia, Sept. 30, 1919.
Mr.. D. B. Cassatt, Executive Sec'y.
Dubuque Chamber of Commerce,
Dubuque, Iowa.
Dear Mr.. Cassatt:--
1 have your letter Of September
26th, making reference to a letter
of September oath, which l wrote TO
Mr. G. D. Rose.
This letter was based on the policy
adopted by the U. S. Bureau OF Pub
lie Roads, with reference to the ex-
penditure of federal aid funds,
which, as you know. constitute part
of the primary road funds OF this
state. The letter from the Bureau
OF Public Roads, setting forth this
policy, with reference to the classes
of work for which federal aid funds
may be expended, states in part as
follows:
The following are the classes OF
work which can and should be done
in the state of Iowa in conformity
with both the federal and state laws:
l. Those counties which have not
yet permanently graded and drained
the roads of their primary system
can do this work and receive federal
aid. Work of this character is con-
sidered substantial, and it is certain
ly fundamental. Personally, | feel
that there is no expenditure for road
purposes that pays greater returns
than the expenditure for the building
of permanent grades and the estab-
lishment of thorough drainage.
2. There are some miles OF road
on the primary road system In coun-
ties where sand and gravel is avail
able locally which do not lie on the
main lines of travel on which heavy
traffic is not likely to develop. Such
roads, which are very few in number
on the primary system of the state
can be improved by permanently grad
ing and draining and applying a
heavy surface Of gravel.
8. On those roads which consti-
tute the main travel thoroughfares
which have been permanently grad
ed and drained, including thorough
sub-drainage, paved roadways OF
standard types can be built and fed
eral funds used to pay portion OF
the cost.
The above are the three general
types of roads for which federal aid
funds may be used on projects ap-
proved by. this bureau. These class
es are described in general terms
only. as each individual project is
subject to a decision in the light of
the special conditions which apply.
This description of the classes of
work which will be approved, is
sufficiently definite to illustrate the
general application of the federal aid
law.
You make reference to the gravel
ing of the Hawkeye highway in Della
ware county. In reply, wish to say
thar this work is being paid for from
motor license fees and there is no
federal aid being secured on this
work. This arrangement could not
be carried out in all the counties Of
the state II such a thing were at
tempted, the state of Iowa would
lose its allotted portion of the fed
eral aid funds. We were, however
willing to permit the gravelling OF
the Hawkeye in Delaware county
simply for the purpose of getting a
somewhat better road to use tenn
porarily, as it appeared that it would
be some time before this county
would embark on a program of pay
ing its primary road system.
In your letter you state, 81 wish
YOU would write stating plainly the
attitude Of the highway commission
towards the use of gravel or macad-
am on the primary roads" In reply
o this inquiry would say that we
feel that the construction of a ma
cadam road is practically a waste OF
money. The stone found in this state
is 90 soft that ii rapidly wears away
under traffic, and the macadam road
n becomes almost impossible.
The expenditures for maintenance
n such a road (if it is kept in rea-
sonably good condition) runs into an
enormous figure. We are building
no macadam roads in this state, with
the exception of one piece of about
eight miles, and this piece of m
cadam is being constructed only be-
cause of the fact that this road
forms connecting link between two
rather important towns. Had there
been any gravel available, we would
have surfaced the road with gravel,
but there was no gravel available, so
it was decided to surface the road
with macadam. do not think the
highway commission would approve
of the construction of any more ma
cadam roads. .
In regard to gravel surfacing. we
wish to say that the commission
thinks that gravevl forms a very
good road where the traffic is light.