Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1922-01-12

StIuctlOn and maintenance during the
past few years indicate that thr high
! way situation as il exists in Fulton
County and in several of the other
counties of the State of Ohio today
has proven to be no more Or less than
a foolish policy Of building for today
and letting t0moI1ow take care of it.
seif.
To much emkpasis has been placed
cn first cost il road building and but
very little thought given in five or
tcn years after Is construction. A
read may seem cneap at first but
the money that must be spent every
year to keep hem in CONDITION fit
for use, makes them an expensive
luxury for Tie average community.
There are nor many road building
materials, but many types of roads
have been constr Icted Dy the use of
combination of basic road materials
and it should be remembered that a
days labor, ton of stone, sand and
gravel cost just as much for a poorly
constructed road as it does for the
modern constructed pavement, The
first is liability, the latter divi-
dend paying investment, giving eff
cient service S65 days in the year, day
or night, regardless Of weather con-
ditions.
We invest in roads for service; if
we are getting service our investment
has been success. On the poorly
constructed roads, however, main
tenance is a burdensome condition,
/ both as to the actual cost of the re-
o,,I Cf7 1a+i Nd
convenience to public traffic in de-
touring while being rebuilt.
In considering what has been label
! ed high cost road, we are in reality
considering what will earn its own
cost and keep on earning its own
cost without excessive upkeep, and
with the least possibility to being
closed to traffic while being covered
with bituminous preservatives or un-
dergoing a general reconstruction.
From facts recently brought to
light by figures from our state high
way department in checking up on
the years work, Ohio is running in
to the quick sand of excessive main
Itenance with all danger signals
down.
The records show, first, total re-
ceipts from motor vehicle licenses
fees, for eleven months in 1921
amount to $6,830,000. Of that
amount, one half $3,415,O00 has gone
back to the counties and the remain
der to maintenance on state system
of highways. Even that amount, it
seems was not enough to keep the
roads in repair. The records show
that in addition to the states share
of motor vehicle money thus applied
to maintenance, there was transferred
from the Inter County Highway
money or constructive fund, to main
; tenance, the sum of $1,515,000 or
: about $4,000 of the money that
: should have gone into each county
in the state for new roads, making
! total of $4,92O,OO0 paid by the
} state for maintenance alone; NOT
= ONE NICKEL OF THAT VAST
: SUM WENT INTO NEW CON
STRUCTION. 1t has been sunk II
e repairs and reconstruction on the
= heavy traffic routes where light ant
| poorly constructed roads were built.
= For the year 1921 the money rails
r ed by the people of Ohio by direc
v taxation and the revenue derived thrt
i automobile registration for highwa.
e construction purposes, over two
+ thirds of the income has been spen
d on one third of the completed state
n system of highways. The question
has arose, Where will the taxpaye
6 of Ohio be when the remaining two
! thirds of the 10000 mile system shal
# have been completed unless due car
K is given to sound construction on mai
n travelled routes.
During the past there has been
a disposition, it appears, in part of tn
:, counties of the state to sacrific
f quality for mileage, and PARTICULAR
- since the state is to carry the burde
:, of maintenance. Under this policy
!, were it continued, the counties pursu
ing this method would be handing tn
% state a liability, instead of an asse
: on the miles constructed.
There are several hundred miles G
Il county constructed roads on the Int
County Highway system that tn
> counties have made application on t
III the State Department to have thel