, 1922-01-26
RESUME Of YEARS ROAD WORK
STARE HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER MAKES INTERESTING REPORT
OF HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION in WYOMING since The
ORGANIZATION OF The COMMISSION

estimates were being prepared for
new work until at the close of 1918,
twenty-one projects had been sub
mitted to Washington, of whirh IT
had been approved for construction.
The mileage of these projects total!ed
something in excess OF 1870, and in
Guided a number OF important
bridges.
Early construction of Highways
was hampered to a large extent by
lack of funds to meet the Federal
Aid appointments, until in 1919
the Legislature approved. for sub
mission to the people a $4,000. 600. 90
bond issue to be retired by Auto
License fees and this Bond Issue was
approved by a lot of the people
/ early in hat year.
This made it possible for the De-
partment to make telling progress.
and during the year 1920, some
thirteen projects were completed.
and in 1921. a total of 35 projects
were completed, making in all a
total of So projects completed with
Federal Aid money. The total
mileage of completed Federal
Aid work to date is approximately
$50, with about the same additional
iii'h5 't1i C VI ullu tl)ilSNI Ut
ton. This in addition to 100 sub
stantial bridges. in round numbers,
of spans 90 and over.
The above does not take into &C
count a heavy mileage of secondary
roads built by the State with tractor
and blade outfits Of which approx
imately 800 miles were constructed
in 1921, making a total of about $50
miles Of such roads constructed by
the Department since its organiza-
ton.
Summing up then. we have the
grand total of nearly 100 miles of
heavy Federal Aid Construction
roads. either completed or under
construction. one hundred bridges
completed. and about $50 miles of
tractor graded road, or a total of
1450 miles of road constructed and
100 bridges.
The program OF Highway Con-
struction which has resulted in the
above. has called for the expenditure
Of upwards of $4,000. 600. 90, and
thus has practically exhausted the
old funds of the original Federal Aid
Act. Since the Bond Issue Of 1913.
a subsequent Bond Issue was ap-
proved in 1921 to the extent of ST.
8O0.O0O.00, part Of which has al
ready been spent or obligated. Since
the original Federal Aid Act ap-
propriated funds for the period from
1916 to 1921. it was necessary for
new Federal Legislation along these
lines and just recently the new
Phipps-DOwell Bill has been passed
and approved by the President. which
appropriates $4,000, 10000 for the
year 1922, Of which Wyoming re-
ceives $?35.OOO.OO together with a
ratio Of approximately G5 to 35 for
Governmental participation instead
of the old $3.50 rate.
Wyoming faces a critical period
at the endof next year. when practi-
cally all available funds will have
been exhausted. The Government
will no doubt continue to make ap-
preparations because Road Construc-
ton has come to stay, but this will
not avail unless each State raises its
quota to match Federal funds as re-
ouired by the Government. Will this
State satisfy itself ~ raising suffic-
lent funds to simply maintain the
highways already constructed, or will
1t continue to increase its mileage Of
highways? What will 1t cost to con-
tinue the work, and what will be the
returns?
The population Of this State is ap-
proximately 100000. and it is est