Pueblo chieftain., 1921-01-30
WILL TALK VAST
HIGHWAY PLANS IN
THE MIDDLE WEST

Chica go. Ill. Jan. GA vast pro-
gram OF highway improvement in the
states of the Middle West will be
one OF the subjects to receive a groa.
deal Of discussion at the big nation
wide Good Roads Congress and Show
to be held at the Coliseum in this city.
February to IL next under the aus
pices of the American Road ButlderB'
associa ton. the national organization
of govcrnment, state. county, and city
highway officials, engineers, contrac-
tors. road users and manufacturers of
road building machinery and materials
Middle Western States, particularly
South Dakota, Michigan, Colorado,
Minnesota. Indiana. Illinois, Iowa,
Kansas, Nebraska. North Dakota and
Wisconsin are fast coming to the front
in road development In these states
enabling acts. state and county bond
issues and direct levics providing for
n total expenditure for good roads
amounting to 1928 ,ssS.co0 have been
authorized lately. This pavos the waS.
for a vast amount of road work dur
ing the coming spring and summer
that will afford some relief at least for
the condition of Unemployment in
which unskilled labor in this part of
the country now finds itself.
Tho American Road Builders asso-
citation, tho oldest and largest organ
ization OF its kind back of tho good
roads movement in the United States
and Canada has long been urging upon
tho legislatures OF tho Middle Western
states, aloro extensive legislation in
the interest OF better highways. In
this respect the association has had
tho moral support to no little extent
OF the farmers and manufacturers. who
are natu ally Interested in improving
marketing conditions and who advo-
cate better highways as railroad feed
crs.
Census figures show that while the
Middle West has Jagged behind some
what in highway development here
tofore the states in this section of the
country will outstrip by far the cast
in road work during 1921. The states
in tho Eastern section OF tho country
have provided for an expenditure this
year. and for some time thereafter,
OF only 100000.
Indiana and Ohio rank third aud
fourth, respectively. among tho states
of tho union in road development In
tho uoosier state 1913 per cent OF tho
roads arc now improved. In the Buck
cyo state the percentage Is Sj.S. Nc
brnska however. is at the foot of all
tho states with improved highways at
tho ratio Of only three tcnths of ono
per cent. Nebraska has only little
over go miles Of surfaced roads out
OF total of S0,gS3. Kansas ig also
cent OF her roads clatsed as improved.
Ohio has tho greatest good road mile
age. which 2S.3l2 miles in fairly good
shape.
Tho governors OF Indiana, Ohio,
Michigan. Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska,
KnusnH. Colorado, Minnesota and
North and South Dakota, as well as
those of all the other states and tho
MAYORS of all middle Western cities
and the country at large are being
asked by tho Governor of Illinois and
the Mayor OF Chicago. respectively, to
send official delegates to tho Congress
The meeting viii bring together from
every part Of the country. the pyactt-
cal aud scientific men identified with
highway construction and main
tonaneo.-the men who will be respon-
siblo for the expenditure of tho vast
Fums available for highway work
There tAey will discuss from every
angle tho many problems connected
with tho construction. administration
financing and maintenance OF national,
state, county and city highways
Tho exposition of labor saving road
building and highway transportation
machinery and paving materials viii
occupy more than 10000 square feet
of space on the ground floor at tho
hibits already entered, the show this
year promises to surpass by far in
tho number and variety of ENhibitG
the big cNpositiona held by the asso-
citation in former yenrs at PittsburE,
VILE and Indianapolis.