The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-12-01
BUY GOOD HIGHWAYS
LESS CAS- AND T|REs|
AUTHORIT ALIVE FIGURES
SHOW THAT GOOD HIGH
WAYS PAY FOR
THEMSELVES.

THEMSELVES.
Five years savings on gasoline
and tires at present prices possible
from road improvements in Mime
sofa would pay in fun the cost Of
paving the entire state trunk high
way system, according to experts
figures from practical tests quoted
in current bulletin from the state
highway department.
No plans which will interfere with
the lowering of road taxes already
begun or provide for any but need
ed highway improvements will be
offered, said Charles M. Babcock,
state highway commissioner, COM
menting on the highway program to
be submitted to the incoming legis-
porting proposed recommendations
for first state highway bonds.
The showing of how the cost of
paving the Minnesota trunk high
way system could be paid with saw
on motor vehicles on the routes is
on gasoline savings by the Iowa
State college, and on engineers es-
Inmates that as great or greater
savings can be made on tires. No
mention is made of other gains pos
sible from improved roads. such as
frightening the lives of cars and
trucks and the increased comfort
and convenience of hard surfaced
highways.
Motor vehicle gasoline consump-
ton per ton. Iowa tests disclose, is
one gallon for every IA miles on
earth roads, 21s miles on gravel
roads and 81 miles on concrete
pavement. Gasoline selling at "a
cents gallon, the report continues,
possible fuel costs per ton mile are
I'll cents a mile on dirt roads,
LIS cents on gravel roads and n
cents on pavement. Savings are
given as SO cent a ton mile on
gravel over earth roads, "a cents
on concrete over earth and SO cent
on concrete over gravel roads: An
other tabulation shows that the av-
erage highway vehicle now weighs
1.36 tons.
Minnesota trunk highway traffic
averages ITO vehicles or 966 tons
a day on each mile. Test figures
on 24-cent gasoline show motor
vehicle cost sc cent gallon great
er on the present roads than on
pavement. On the tonnage mile
average given, the possible saving
on gasoline alone would be $685. a
mile daily or $2.325 year. Paw
ing would reduce maintenance cost
by $675 mile annually. The two
items added make a possible yearly
saving of $4,000 mile.
Minnesota pays 100000 a mile
for concrete paving, complete, in
Guiding the usual interest charge.
Thus the paving cost would be COW
cred by the annual savings in ten
years-without dollar of addi-
tional investment. At the end of
ten years the state would be left
with pavement good for many
more years and representing only
money which otherwise would have
gone away for gasoline. Possible
tire savings also applied to the
pavement cost would cut the pay
ment period to five years or less.
The highway department, how
ever, proposes to pave only sections
keep is so heavy that the outlay
will more than pay for pavement.
A recent STATE zhent by Commission
er Babcock follows:
The highway department will re-
commend to the incoming lsgislat-
ure first issues of state highway
bonds because it believes the pro-
posal just good business and what
good manager would recommend
to stockholders in private enter
prise under like conditions. The
public as good roads stockholders
acting through the senators and
representatives corresponding to the
board of directors in private bust
ness must decide whether the pro-
position is timely. 1t will stand
solely on its merits.
"The successful business man Dor
rows funds when he finds he can
use them to build economically and
advantageously. Minnesota with a
credit of $50 per capita and only
$8.14 of debt or a net credit of
nearly $12 per capita, is in better
position to borrow money fo: need
ed highway improvements than
many other states now going on
with much larger highway funds
and programs. Highway bond and
other recommendation to be made
by this department will not add enc
cent to taxes. Better roads already
are returning to average car and
truck owners more than they pay
in motor vehicle taxes and since the
state assumed the expense of builG-
ing and maintaining the more ex-
pensive main roads, county town
ship and city-village levies for
road and bridge purposes are rapid
ly going down. Direct taxes for
roads in Minnesota are being low
cred for the first time in the his
tory of the state.
Current trunk highway funds to
date have totalled $5,000,000 less
than was agreed to under Amend
ment No. l and reasonably expect
ed. Highway demands are increas-
ing as more and more people be-
come convinced that good roads
more than pay for themselves by
stopping gasoline, tire and other
waste. Reasonable funds provided,
the state will be able to speed up
highway improvements and to the
advantage Of every property owner
and citizen. 1t will be possible in
all parts of the state to hasten re-
suits demanded now, whereas, other
wise more limited funds must be
used to best serve greatest numbers
OF highway users and projects in
many localities will be unavoidably
delayed"
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