Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-01-06
A Bulletin For Sale
advertisement VIII Sell ID
MUST MAKE HIGHWAYS
MORE ADEQUATE SAYS RENNrrT

The state of Connecticut must choose
between extending its system of public
highways or attempting to make the
present system more adequate for the
needs Of present day traffic and the lat.
ter course, even at the expense of extern
slons is to be preferred according to
the opinion of State Highway Commits
sioner Charles j. Bennett as expressed
in his annual report submitted To Gov
ernor Lake this week It would take an
immediate appropriations of $4,000. 600
70 make the present highway system
adequate to the maximum traffic needs
Oh the state, declared Commissioner
Bennett, adding that inasmuch as il IS
impossible to obtain such sum OF
money the state must face inadequate
conditions for period of years.
The report compares the cost of road
construction in this and former years
and says that although materials and
labor have declined in cost the total ex-
pendftures for the past year have been
increased by the added wear on the
roads due to an increase in traffic and
| to the fact that we had an open winter
IN l92O-2l and the highways were thus
subjected to greater use than commonly
| is the case. Commissioner Bennett
commends the truck loading law passed
| by the 1921 session of the general as
sembly and says that with the establish
ment of scales at various points on the
highways and with the cooperation Of
the state police it viii be possible to
strictly enforce the new daw.
There are 1900 miles of highway in
the state, says the report, not includ-
ing city streets but including rural
roads of all types. There are 1900
miles Of state road improvements in the
state.
! Auto For Every II People.
At present there is a passenger au-
tomobile for every fourteen persons In
1.-THE state of Connecticut and Commits
sioner Bennett is of the opinion thai
the time will come when this rate
will be one passenger automobile fol
every ten persons. He says that Their,
is no way of telling how much the US,
of motor trucks may increase and con.
sequently 1t is certain that for a mum
Der of years to come the highways O
this state will be in greater and great
Ter use. I'VE must improve the surfac
widen and strengthen our existinl
highways at an enormous cost and W
must also extend our present highwa,
system in orde- that congestion 0
/ traffic may cease" declares the com
missioner.
100000 From Motor Vehicle Law.
The report shows that 81. 600, 600
year is obtained for use on the high
ways from the motor vehicle law, bu
, points out that not a dollar for high
way use Is derived from the gasolin
, tax or from the tolls collected o
D bridges. The income from toll bridge
is not even used for the upkeep of tn
bridges themselves
Lights For Danger Spots
Commissioner Bennett says that Ii
1 time Is not far distant when all dar
v gerous places on highways must /
! lighted at night and he discusses tn
use of road signs and danger warning
: | at some length.
The gross expenditures of the high
way apartment from June 80, 1920 I
June 80, 1921, were S7.127,9s0.s4. Thel
were refunds Of s1,13o,s35.97, maxim
the total net expenditures $5,ss7,024S
The net income from auto fees w;
I$2,126,772.SS: $2,210,5241s was spel
for the construction of new roads ar
Ss93,570.19 for the maintenance and co,
struction of bridges; s1,s2s.557.s2 f.
reconstruction and requirements, al
81, 1S5, 09S.50 for ordinary repairs al
: equipment. The overhead for the off
and engineering was sos, 219.0S. Fift
g four and twenty-nine hundredths mil
. Of road were constructed during L
h year and 1921 miles were reconstruct
: There is also large amount of mica
n now under construction which will n
y appear until the next report. In I
I. year 1s20-21 there were 61s2s mil
a of road maintained at a cost of S24l
J. 1906 and in 1920 there were 5s1.
ID miles maintained at a cost of s1s
as 1851.
m The personnel of the department
e mains practically the same as It has
t, The past nine years" says Commission
v Rennatt