, 1922-08-17
ROAD PROBLEMS
ARE DISCUSSED
HIGHWAY ENGINEER SEVlSON FAVORS
GASOLINE TAX As MOST EQUIT.
ABLE REVENUE PRODUCER

A tax OF two cents a gallon on
gasoline was proposed by q. E. Sevi-
son, state highway engineer of
Wyoming in his address at Sheridan
before the third annual convention of
the Custer Battlefield Highway As
ISOLATION as a most equitable" means
OF providing funds for a better main
tenance Of motor highways in Wyom-
ing.
This tax, il provided in Wyoming,
would yield an annual Of
$2S0,00O, Engineer Sevison told the
highway delegates, and added, cit
should be noted hat such a tax will
enable the tourists who are using
our roads in rapidly increasing num-
bers to contribute to their improve
ment."
Seventeen states, Engineer Sevison
said, now have gasoline taxes.
Engineer Sevison's address,, which
dealt extensively with highway ad-
ministration methods and a resume
of the work OF the Wyoming state
highway department.. was in part as
follows:
THE highway industry (for an in
it surely is) has reached the
stage where it is one of the greatest
in the country. Last year $6OO,O00,-
600 was expended in the maintenance
and construction of highways, and at
the peak Of the construction season
nearly 100000 men we're engaged in
this work. The present magnitude
Of this work brings 1t into the same
class as the steel and automobile in
dustries, the largest in the country.
StupendOus Sums Needed
Funds available this year indi-
indicate that the expenditures will
run i've $500, 0OO, 900 unless slow
ed up during the last few months
by industrial troubles. The priority
orders of the Interstate Commerce
Commission have already practically
brought to a standstill all surfacing
work in several of the states east OF
the Mississippi. The programs of
several Of the states. such as Mime
sofa, Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania and
New York call for expenditures of
5000 900 each this year., and sew
eral others will spend over $25.O0O.-
900. 1t seems probable therefore,
that for the decade beginning with
1921 the total may reach seven bill
lion dollars.
Who Shall Pay
HuCoSioA LhoS well ue dShSu
where is this immense sum to come
from and is there an economic
foundation for these huge expendi-
lures for highway Improvement. 1t
is possible to comprehend the COM
pleticn of a large bridge or a few
miles of pavement. but who can
visualize the immensely of the high,
way improvement demands that are
now being made within this country?
No other nation has ever undertaken
TO supply adequate transportation
facilities for an area of over 3.0OO,-
900 square miles. France has an
area of 212,654 square miles and
German 2OS.780. Wyoming alone
has an area. of 5000 square miles,
an empire in extent, and the whole
future of this state will be largely
determined by the factor Of trans
%portation.
Traffic Must BE Served
"Highway development must GO
forward because the individuals COM
prising the public have supplied
themselves with more than 10,500,-
900 motor vehicles and Traffic
must be served An examination of
the progress in highway building in
dicates a decided lag in the develop
ment of the roadbed behind the in
crease in the rolling stock. This lag
is 80 serious that there is an insistent
demand on the part of motor vehicle
owners that highway improvement
shall be fastened and this is fol-
lowed by the equally insistent ques-
tion-'Who shall pay?'
Situation in Wyoming
Let us consider carefully the stu
alton as 1t affects Wyoming, and
what applies to our own state is an
plicable to our neighb6ring states
The new Federal Aid Act approved
November II, 1921, carried the pro-
vision that all future expenditures Of
federal aid should be upon a system
of primary and standard highways
which did not exceed 7 per cent Of
the total road mileage in the state.
1t was found that the total mileage
of public roads in wyoming was 49,
$40 and the State High way Com
mission has designated 1924 miles
OF highways to comprise the so-called
2 per cent system. This system,
which, forms a complete inter-county
and interstate system, which must all
be completed to a uniform standard
before any additions are made. will
be the system on which federal and
state funds will be concentrated un-
til completed. Through its opera
ton the roads of greatest Importance
and serving the greatest number are
improved first and all work is cumu-
lative towards the completion of a
system Of improved inter-connected
highways between communities and
between the states.
How soon should we plan to have
this system brought up to a uniform
standard! 1t is expected that the Z
per cent system for the entire coun-
try will total 10000 miles and on
the basis of federal aid appropria-
lions of $5O.00O.0 900 per year, 1t will
take twenty years to construct.
Wyoming's apportionment of $5O,-
100000 is $623,07s.00 and of $751;