Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-07-06
MUCH PAVING
AND ROAD WORK
MICHIGAN LED IN MAY IN THE
AMOUNT OF ROAD BOND
ISSUES VOTED.

New York, June 29-Onicial figures
on bond issues proposed, voted and
sold for roads and streets for May,
1922, show that with the summer
construction season now in full swing,
the states, counties, parishes, town
snips, road districts, cities and towns
IF the country are preparing big
late-summer and fall program of con
struction. The reports show that
bond issues proposed for future road
and street construction increased
S1S,S24, $50 in May over those report
ed i'm April. Among the localities re-
ported interested in highway develop
ment during May was the city OF Al
ma with a special assessment bond
issue of $29, 800 for street paving re
ported as voted
In May total of $30,673,000 was
reported in bond issues proposed for
road improvement. The total for
April was S13,75l 900. Bond issues
voted for roads in May amounted to
S35,224 400, while those voted in
April were $5O,S15, 51S,-a decrease
for May of 1851 ,05S. The total
value of road bonds reported sold for
May amounted to $50, 135 ,936,-a de-
crease Of 81 ,236,224 over the sales in
April This is due to the fact that
a majority Of the bond elections are
held in the early spring or the late
fall.
That street construction Jared rela-
lively better than road building in
May, is indicated by the fact that
proposed bond issues reported for
that purpose amounted to So, 300
in May,-an increase of 81 ,9O2, $50
over the $6,S17,550 reported the
month before, and bonds voted
amounted to Sl0,119,5S2,-an increase
over the $S,036,132 reported in April,
of $2,0S3 ,450. Bonds actually sold
for street construction, however, de-
creased from the 1881 ,361 reported
in April, to $6,S62,S17 in Maya
drop of $1,71S,514.
Of road bond issues voted during
May Michigan led with $9,3S0,S50
while Alabama, with $3,150,000, and
Colorado, with SO, 100000, ranked see
ond and third. Ohio voted more bono
issues for streets than any other
state, and led with 81 ,133 ,997. Mich.
igan followed with Sl,l75,000. North
Carolina, with $1,143,000 ranked
third.
North Carolina, with $S,400,000, re
ported more road bonds sold than any
other state. Texas was next in line
with $6,201 500 and Ohio was thirC
with 81 ,494,450.
Ohio, with $1,636,S9l, also led il
street bonds reported sold, FOLLOWED
by North Carolina with 1897, 900 ant
Virginia with $S20,OOO
The reports indicate that the cost
involved in road and street construc
ton are entering more fully into pub
lie discussions when it comes to vot
ing money for highway improvement
The United States Bureau of Public
Roads has just completed statistic
on road building costs that are no
only valuable but pertinent to publ
discussion of any good roads project
This Federal bureau spends NOR
money for highways than any othe
one body in the world. Last year j
expended $105, 100000 Of Federal APP
preparations for new highway con
struction, sum in excess Of the TO
tai amount expended for all purpose
by the departments Of Commerce, In
terror and Agriculture combined. Ii
conjunction with this sum an amour
more than equal to the Federal al,
was provided by the States All o
this expenditure went into something
that constitutes tangible asset 70
the free use of all the people, aid T.
toll roads having been expressly pro
hibited by law.
The sharts prepared by the bureau
compare the costs involved in tn
construction of bituminous macadam
concrete, gravel and graded an
drained highways and show that, 70
the whole of the United States dur
ing the entire period 1917-1922, GOV
cred by Federal aid, the average cos
of concrete roads has increased abou
45 per cent; that Of btuminous maca
dam about % per cent, and that O
gravel roads about IL per cent.
The average cost per mile for eac
Of the three types is given as follows
Gravel 1920; Bituminous Macadar
$25,720; Concrete, $4,000. Concret
roads, according to the charts, hav
advanced in cost from $4,000 a mil
in 1917 to 500, 900 mile in 1922. Ri
luminous macadam roads, which ar
principally asphalt, cost S22,500
mile in 1917, and $27,50O mile thi
year.