The Republican journal., 1921-08-25
Statement by Highway Com
mission.
[Kennebec Journal.l

In view of the fact that there has
been more or less newspaper comment
and criticism recently about the work of
the State Highway Commission, we feel
that it would be fair at the present time
to make brief statement covering Just
exactly what has been done by this COM
mission, in order that such criticism as
may be made may be based upon the ex-
act facts rather than on hearsay. The
figures given in this statement may be
checked at the office OF the State Auditor
and the road mileages may be verified by
an inspection of the records in the office
of the State Highway Commission in the
State House.
From the organization of the Commits
sion in 1913 to the close of the year 1920,
AS. miles of State highways have been
constructed, The expense of construct
ingithese highways has been 1895, 63725,
or somewhat under Sill 900. 90 per mile on
an average. The mileage constitutes APP
proximately seventy per cent of all State
highways built. The remaining mileage
is divided among half a dozen different
kinds of road, which this commission has
thought to be suitable for the location
where the road was built.
During the same period there was con-
structed 1l13.45 miles of State aid high
ways, of which 1021.O7 miles, or little
more than ninety per cent, were gravel
roads, The expenditure on these roads
amounts to SIS, $50, 277. So The average
cost per mile has been S4,742.00. The
most of this mileage has been built
on roads subsidiary to the State high
way system, and are roads, generally
speaking, which takes much lighter
traffic than do the State highways. APP
proximately 800 miles of this State aid
road, however, is located on the designed
State highway system, so that at the end
of 1920 there were substantially $50 miles
of improved road on the designated State
highway.
Besides the two classes of highways
above referred to, there have been built
under the direction of the commission
third class highways, special resolve
roads, and roads constructed from appor-
tionment of automobile registration fees
made by the Governor and Council prior
to 1913 Substantially all of the mileage
of these last classes was gravel surface
The complete record of new roads built
by the commission shows l7O9.01 miles,
of which 1893. 05, or over eighty per cent,
is gravel surfaced.
The records show that there has been
expended under the direction of the COM
mission during the above period for road
building purposes, S11, 703, 25l 65, which
gives an average cost per mile OF few
cents less than $6848 90.
In view of the above statements this
commission is at a loss to understand the
criticism which is freely INDUCED in to
the effect that the commission ought to
build gravel roads ani that roads built by
the commission cost $4,000 90 per mile,
AS shown above, eighty per cent of all OF
the mileage built has been gravel sur
faced and this type has been used where
ever in the judgment of the commission
it has been suitable to carry the traffic
which was expected to come upon the
road The average cost of all these roads,
as above pointed out, is S6848 90, and the
average cost of the State highways is
little less than S11 200 90, figure con-
siderably less than $50, 600. 90 mile
1t ought to be pointed out that prior to
the organization of the commission 1918
miles of State aid road had been built.
Much of this road was worn out, how
ever, when this commission came into
office, as no maintenance law was IN eX-
istence until 1918 and not until 1915 did
we have satisfactory maintenance law
which made patrol maintenance possible.
Lie lCSOluo III 1891 oho"
that there are 727.6 miles of improved
State highway being maintained this
year and 1886 miles of improved State
aid being maintained by patrol mainten-
ance. There is also under patrol main
tenance 2454 miles of unimproved road,
that is to say, the balance of the State
highway and the State aid highway sys-
tens.
During the years 1914 to 1920, inclu-
sive, there was expended for maintenance
a sum of So, 1873, 307.G0 During the years
1914, 1915 and 1916 this work was practi-
cally all done on a patch work scheme.
although in 1916 patrol maintenance was
started and has been in operation ever
since. In 1919 there were employed 484
patrolmen with teams and in addition
there were 10 truck patrols
In none of the last three years has the
commission had sufficient funds to do the
amount of resurfacing which they DEEM
ed necessary to be done. They have,
according to their judgment, made the
best use of the funds available in patrol
ling, dragging and resurfac ng the roads
under their care.
Some criticism has been made of late
to the effect that 'the $4,000 mile
roads Immediately went to pieces" We
have stated above that we have not any
such roads, but one is being built which
approximates that cost and under the
Federal aid law the State will put less
than $4,000 per mile into the road. How
it will stand under traffic remains to be
seen. The part completed last year has
stood the severe traffic of the contractor s
trucks all this summer and shows no
signs of wear whatsoever
1t would be marvellous if in construct
ing LOO miles of road during period of
eight years, with an increase of volume of
traffic of 200 to 400 hundred per cent Ito
say nothing of increased Weights) from the
time of constructing the first roads, some
of them did not show signs of failure.
Failures simply show that the roads were
not built sufficiently strong and of the
proper type to carry the traffic which has
developed since their construction.
Building cheaper and less substa tial
roads will not remedy this condition. We
know of no road that has absolutely fail
ed. Weak spots have developed in some
roads and they have been been patched.
In some cases foundations have been put
in after road has been: completed and
opened for traffic. The percentage of the
miles requiring such treatment has been
so small as to be practically negligible.
We uelcome h0nest criticism based ou