Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1921-01-06
A Bulletin To Let
Advertisement Win Rent II
SAYS He COULD SPEND
MIIIInNc ON crATE

MlLElONS ON . y hOADo
{ Wear and tear on siate highways by
freight laden trucks means that millions
Of dellaFs must be spent In the iHmedi-
ate future 70 keep them IN coalition.
State Highway Commissioner Charles J.
Bennett said In his annual report Ehicll
was submitted "Wednesday 70 uoyeFnor
Lake and the general Assembly at Hart
ford. He added; The state is faced with
the necessity Of considering serious trans
portalen probleWs"
In his. report both in retrospect and
in prosTpt Air. hnneit writes ip mil
ions, lie gives over much OF the text
laden trucks on the. hignwsys 70 can
struct all the state mileage planned with
extensions plus general Improvements
in conditions everywhere at present
iosts. he says, would require S24.e60.o0b.
Mr.. Bennett. ia HE way Of illustration,
iays that it can be safely demensITated
that there is need for the esnstFpolion
Of approximately l29 miles Of hard sur-
face paYegnents 10 acRoWmedate our pFes-
emit traffic which at an average cast Of
47s.0aO per mile would require the eK-
penditure Of So, 900, 0e0." To this. he says,
should be added a sufiiaieRt amauRt TO
bring the bridges Of the state up TO -
standard carrying capaeily and 70 pro-
vide for a general i.nPF0vement Of feed
eFs to these trunk line highways % that
the Paxirnum efficiency could pc secured
from the number Of motor vehicles now
/ owned IN. the state.
I'VE must then conclude" he says.
that an apnTeKimate expenditure Of
| $4,000, zoo within the next tive or four
years would probably bring Connecticut
| up TO a point where its highway fscili-
| ties would meet its transportation needs"
Mr.. Reanett says the highway DEPART
a 4
| changed conditions. among these-after-
gar inaatatipn Of prices. and scarcity Of
/ labor and material. Maintenance work
| - erred due to INCREASE in travel
| The last winter was one Of the most Sc
we're experiences In yeaFs. The labor
| situation. plus the hard winter, cur
tailed railroad traffic and subjected high
/ ways to abnormal traffic during the
| spring months. An insufficient number
| ready built are inadequate and the state
is forced TO spend large SUMS IN reeon'
/ struptiop and renewal
\ Two things will eyenuate. lfr. Zen.
nett deciaresi-either We must restrici
the expansion Of highway systems, ore VIZ
must secure very large AMOUNTS Of mon
ey TO be expended IN highway work.
There are licensed at present in Con
neo;icut 10000 pleasure cars aud 20,ogl
commercial trucks These used STAT
highways az city streets mainly. but theii
use would be more effective II there werl
I-moFe hard surface highways.
Pointing to the volume of traffic Mr
Bennett said that a 72-houT continuou
count on the Boston Post Road betyeei
Bridgeport and New Haven showed a TO
tai Of 90. 600 vehicles passed in bot
directions. Or an average Of over geo pc
hour with a maximum Of about 500 dur
1 ing a period Of certain hours.
In his. comment on trucking condition
Mr.. Bennett said that only $50 truck
are in excess OF four-ton capacity. Will
approximately 1900 are Of two tons o
less. In order to accommodate thes
$50 trucks It becomes necessary 70 IN
crease the cost per mile Of highway
sometimes double the cost or to dis
criminate in outlay in favor Of snal
select class of vehicles The increas
would properly provide for much develop
= uaent for the benefit Of a large percent
age of commercial traffic.
Mr.. Bennett advocates increases in u
cense fees Of trucks to bear a fair Pre-
! portion Of the cost OF highways. equal
at least to the wear and tear they d
to highway surfaces as distinct from III
| wear by other vehicles. Instead of 81
100000 return In fees. motor vehicls
ought to return at least $4,000, 900. h
said
Mr. Bennett shows that the total gros
expepditures Of his department fros
| June 30, 1919. to June 30. 1920. va
35,e34,366. and less refunds the tots
? ! otags net was $5.O1S.e0s. The net II
g come from automobile fees was S1.s1t
d 500. Cons: siction Of new roads cost 81
434.64S. maintenance of and constructie
d Of bridges. etc. ss6e.705: AlaintenanS
y and reconstruction of roads. s2.563.53
n The overhead expenses Of his departmeI
n was $1S4.3s9. A total of 1885 miles va
n built in the year bringing mileage to
It 557.35 in the state. Of state highways.