Evening star., 1921-09-04
LAYING FOUNDATION FOR SOUND
GOVERNMENT HIGHWAY PLANS
Passage by Senate of Roadway Bill Points
to toHopeful Future for Better Develop
ment of Nations Highways.

tion was eliminated from the bill. but
IN the event that the bill in its hnal
form becomes 4 law all those who
may IN ssD sSDP2ss at Gf h.S ssSs
made important progress in having
brought about an organic act which
VII! dehnttely conflne the expenditure
OF federal funds and which Inevitably
| construction and maintenance Of an
interstate system. solely at the ex.
| pense Of the government
Reasons for Eliminatioas.
| Probably the governing reason for
the action against the commission in
the minds of most Of the senators
the blunt rejection Of Senator Nor.
| ris' proposal for an export commits
| sion. and the savage attacks which
have been made on similar proposals
verS: rhss S.s
accumulative effect. which doubtless
was responsible for the absence Of
many OF the friends Of the highway
commission from the Senate chamber
against the commission, the absen-
tees probably felt it extremely Inn
polite to join in the highway pro.
posai at this time: Another factor
out plans for a consolidation Of ali
public works department.
Summary Of New Plan.
Senator Townsend has devoted
more than two years to this bill and
is entitled to an expression Of appre-
the cause In which he believed whole
heartedly and which in q political
sense 1t may not have been to his
advantage to press.
,,1a. The ds fseiiowing 10. are the principal fsa-
| tom recognised in the bill:
l. The bill confirms all federal OK.
penditures to per cent Of the total
mileage in each state. and requires
! that SO per cent Of the funds shall be
7 per cent of mileage which shall con-
sist Of the primary roads Of inter-
state Importance. A further proviso
gives state highway commissioners
the right to exceed the so per cent
where they deem 1t desirable. Under
! cent be expended on the state high
ways which comprise the remaining
per cent Of the total seven.
2. Under the provisions Of the bill,
s7o.ooo.ooo Is appropriated Tor road
| Of which becomes Immediately avail
able. the remainder available at the
end Of six months. A sum Of IS, 6,000,.
600 Is appropriated for the construc-
! tion Of roads and trails within forest
reservations.
8. Drastic maintenance provisions, q
flexible formula Of matched funds for
| those states having per cent or more
OF their area held In public lands,
| more rigid requirements governing
types and surfaces Of Highways, q
clause that states must match fed
| eral funds with funds from state
sources or 10 controlled with a two.
year exception to enable changes in
laws). q paragraph directing the Sec
retary of War to transfer surplus ma
| terial available for highway use to
| the Department Of Agriculture. are
| some Of the other provisions which
make the measure as whole q dis.
| tinct advance over exsting statutes.
I. The form Of administration seems
to remain unsettled As yet and not
likely Of decision before the report Of
the reorganization commission has
been completed.
5. The bill now goes to conference.
as the House has agreed upon and
passed most Of the provisions save
that relating to appropriations. Should
the conference accept this provision
from the Senate, the way will be
clear for a nationwide drive in high
| way construction, particularly in
those states which have had to hold
up contracts and plans pending q
Anal decision Of policy by Congress.