The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1922-07-29
CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS
IN MISSISSIPPI.
Beginning of Epoch Was Marked by
Federal Aid Road
Act

| The construction of the improved
| highways in Mississippi and all over
| the United States has taken a rapid
stride in the pas. SIX years, more
new and improved highways having
probably been built, than in the pre-
ceding fifteen years. The beginning
of this epoch was marked by the
passage of the Federal AiG Road act,
by which Congress agreed to match
State funds appropriated for the con-
struction of highways. This act was
amended in 1919 and 1921, ard the
provisions for securing Federal CO.
operation made little more drastic
| each time.
The extent to which Mississippi
has benefited by this act is shown by
the fact that since its passage in 1916
the Federal government has allotted
to Mississippi approximately $685.
| 900 for the building Of its highways,
this allotment including the $3,278,-
| 900 recently appropriated by Congress
20 cover the next three years. Of
this allotment, $2,862, ,814.40 has al
ready been received and spent and
vouchers to the amount Of 6,965.78
have been forwarded, but have not
had time to go through the necessary
| channels Of the government. The re-
cent appropriation of $3,278,OO0 is
onw being apportioned among coun-
! ties by the State Highway Commits
sion, and will go a long way towards
! the completion Of MississippIs pro-
posed State highway system. Forty
TWO Federal aid projects have been
completed in the State and forty one
more are under construction. while
plans for as many more are being
| drawn up and submitted to Federal
and State authorities.
The continuation of these allot-
ments as far as Mississippi is con-
cerned, however, has been seriously
threatened by the amended Federal
Highway Act of 1921. BY this act
| the government, recognizing the fact
that investment of money in good
roads is worse than futile unless the
roads are maintained, safeguards fed
eral allotments with drastic main
tenance provision. This provision
requires that all roads heretofore
built or to be built with federal aid
must be maintained by the State
highway department, providing fur
ther that in the event these roads
are not maintained by the State high
way department they shall be put in
to condition by the secretary of agri-
culture, and the State forfeit its right
to participate in further federal al
Iotments. Under the Mississippi con-
stitution the State highway depart
ment has no authority to take over
| these roads as required, since the
boards of supervisors are given full
jurisdiction over roads, ferries and
bridges in their respective counties.
The last legislature recognized this
fact, and submitted to the people an
amendment to the constitution, Civ
ing the State highway department
full jurisdiction over those roads des-
ignated by the legislature as state
highways. These highways are to
comprise a State highway system,
consisting of not more than seven per
cent of all the roads, upon which all
federal aid will in the future be ex-
pended This amendment is to be
voted on at the general elections in
November, and present indications
point to it's adoption.
Under the Federal act, every State
is compelled to adpot State highway
system and federal and state engi-
neers are cooperating in mapping
out highway system which will
serve the whole United States. Ten
tative program maps have been re-
ceived already from all but eight of
the States These systems are the
systems of adjacent States and plot
ted on a large map, and carefully ex-
amined as to coordination with serv-
ice to all sections of the country.