Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-27

is d question rnaC must receive
attention at this time, if this
state is to avail itself of federal
aid money at all. 1t goes with
out saying that there will be
very few, if any, bond issues
on the part of the counties of
Montana for the building of
roads during the next few
years. The people. therefore,
and the legislature must ar
range for it's road construction
in some other way. This
critical situation was set forth
tlearly and with exactness by
John N. Edy, chief engineer of
the state highway commission,
in a paper that was given be-
fore the Y.G Bee Line conven-
ton at Livingston on August
I21. The Tribune, therefore,
finds it worth while to give the
full text of what Mr.. Edy sets
forth, using as his subject:
"The Crisis in Montana's High
way Development" The paper
is as follows:
This is not a scare head title dictat-
ed BY an unwarranted pessimism in re-
spect to the highway situation in Mon
tana. The following is submitted as q
calm and rational statement of facts
having to do with the road improve
ment program which has been under
way for the past three years and re
ferring particularly to the question of
the continuance or discontinuance of
this program.
Activities for Past Four Years
Between the years 1890 and 1921
the counties in the state expended for
road and bridge construction and main
~tenance approximately S43, 200.
Prior to 1919 the improved road mile
age in Montana was approximately 600
miles.
During the period 1919, 1920 and
1921 there was expended under the di-
~rection of the state highway commits
sion approximately S6,300,000.0O of
which approximately n half or 3d.
80, 900, 700 was furnished by the u
ties of the state, the other one half
representing federal funds apportioned
ment. During this three yea period
contracts were let for 1876 miles of
state highway improvement and there
was completed approximately 90 miles.
1t is apparent. therefore, that during
the past three years and under the
program adopted by the highway de-
partment under authority of legislative
enactment more miles of improved
highway have been constructed than
we're constructed during the 30 years
of statehood prior to 1919.
Type of Improvement.
The gravel surface has been adopted
by the state highway commission as
the standard type of improvement for
our main state highways with the as
surance that such an improvement will
give immediate service as a road sur
face under existing traffic and will la
ter serve as the foundation for any
higher type of improvement that may
be desired by the people or required
TO meet traffic. Along the Y-G Bee
line the following projects are typical:
Projects "a, 10, IS, 1856; projects GOA,
IA and 1O5; project "a. But "a miles
of paved surface have been construct
ed; and except for a relatively few
proiects within the limits of small
towns along main state highways no
paving projects are contemplated
Source of Revenue.
All the road and bridge construc-
ton prosecuted by the state highway
commission has been made possible by
the federal aid road act of July IL.
1016. and by the federal highway act OF
November o. 1921. Under the provts-
ions of these acts federal aid has been
secured in amounts approxlmating %
per cent of the cost of all state high
way improvements herein referred to.
Local funds to match federal aid
have been secured largely from county
bond issue funds and partly from ap-
propriations from general road funds
of the counties and through the crea-
tion of special improvement districts.
The state as a unit has paid no part of
the cost of actual road construction.
The source of local revenue which has
been drawn upon in the past to meet
federal aid in the prosecution of state
highway and bridge improvements
should be carefully noted since it seems
to be q fact that this source OF local
revenue Will not Dt hNuiiooAo W thO
state in the future.
Funds Available to tho State
The only funds available to the state
highway department are 90 per cent
of the motor vehicle registration fees
collected by the secretary of state.
This fund totals approximately $3.50
600 for 1922 and is not available for
actual road or bridge construction but
must be drawn upon to meet admins
expenses only.
Present Status of Local Funds
County bonds issues voted in 1919
are practically exhausted. 1t should
be stated here that while the total
county bonds voted in 1919 were APP
proximately S6,0O0,0O0, only slightly
than one-half of this amount was
used by the state to match federal aid.
Probably not more than One-half mil
ion dollars of these several county
bond issue funds are available to the
state for further state highway i'm
provement; the remainder of the diff
having been expended largely
the counties upon roads Of relative
" local Importance.
It is believed by the state highway |
and is here asserted as a
fact that tax levies for road purposes
n Montana, either county or state, spe-
rial or general, cannot be increased.
The state highway department will NOT |