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

NNuhe5 highway improvements.
a. County road funds are generally
inadequate to provide for a reasonable
Improvement and proper maintenance
OF important roads not eligible for
federal aid, This is particularly notice
able in the almost total lack of main
tenance applied to county roads in the
state during the present year.
D. The use Of automobiles is in
creasing rapidly. Reports from Mon
tana dealers generally indicate a
greater demand for cars which means
a greater local demand for improved
roads and safe bridges.
6. Tourist traffic within the bord-
ers of Montana is increasing every
year. A QUESTIONABLE recently ad-
dressed to chambers of commerce
throughout the state and to national
tran associations with offices in Mon
tana brings the information that no
less than 10000 foreign cars will
travel Montana's highways during this
touring season. Furthermore the ex-
perlence of other states which have
gwen the matter serious consideration
Is that tourist traffic is decidedly
IDENTICAL to a state. While we do not
propose the construction of highways
solely for the purpose of serving
foreign tourist traffic we do believe
that, If this traffic can be encouraged
10 make use of highway improvements
which are Of local and state neces-
sity, we VIII not only benefit the state
IN a general business way but can de-
rive from the tourist a real and sub
ment.
L. In the possibility of a protracted
suspension Of highway and maintenance
activities by both state and county, the
automobile owner and user-and this
class of people represents approx
mateiy one-third the entire population
OF the state-faces a real crisis that
demands immediate and thoughtful
consideration and physical action.
The Remedy
The state highway commission has
been studying the situation above re-
ferred to from the standpoint of it's
own activities and those of the coun-
ties and having in mind the most rea-
Sonable and practical means of meet
ing the ever increasing demand for i'm
proved roads and for conserving the
funds already invested therein. In
brief the remedy proposed by the de-
pdTLuent Is as I0I0WS.
l. Classification of Highways. The
$1,000 miles of highways within the
state must be classified according to
their relative Importance. Insofar as
state highways are concerned this
classification has been made. The
state highway system comprises APP
proximately 1900 miles of which ap-
1880 miles are known as
the primary and secondary federal aid
and are eligible for federal aid.
Such highways should be improved and
maintained at the expense of the state.
County highways should be improved
and maintained at the expense of the
county with state aid for the more i'm
portant, if funds are available therefor.
Appropriations for construction and
must be consistent with
the requirements of traffic and the
amount invested in the improvements.
of purely local Importance, serv-
ing but relatively few persons, should
receive a minimum of public %appropria-
ton for construction and maintenance.
2. Restriction of Traffic. The road
using public must understand that it is
a financial and physical impossibility
for the state or county governments
to improve every mile of public high
way to the same standard. This
means that ~inter-county and inter
state traffic should restrict itself to
system of highways designated for
its use and improved to an adequate
8. Regulation of Traffic. Traffic
be controlled and regulated, both
by law and by administration. There
is no economic justification for the
at public expense of high
road surfaces required to serve
say 3 per cent of the traffic when a
much less expensive type of road sur
will adequately serve 81 per cent
Of the traffic. Neither can there be
any excuse for the material damage
Or actual destruction of an otherwise
satisfactory highway because of the !
periodic use of the highway by a type
Of vehicle for which the improvement
IS not designed. l am convinced that
economic conditions in Montana do not
the initiation or extension of
what has been termed highway trans
port" meaning thereby the ~transporta- !
ion of commodities over public high
ways by means of heavy trucks. The
relatively light motor hauling unit is
/ legitimate acquisition to the trans
oortation facilities of the state. The
heavy truck must be kept off the pub
ic highways or must be made to pay
rs share Of the cost of the road sur
lace ii demands. Incidentally if truck
is so regulated, it will probably
,e found so uneconomical as to elimi-
late itself.
4. State Supervision. It appears
o have been well established that su-
,ervision of a restricted system of
highways of more than local import
ance to the entire state should be
rested in the state. The improvement
md maintenance of at least 5000 miles
# highways within Montana has be-
ONE a problem beyond the ability of
ocal county officials to solve. The ex-
'~erience of every other state in the
Jnion, and. perhaps of more impor-
ance to Montana. the experience of
his state, is that the development of
reasonable and adequate system of
improved state highways is possible
My through the participation and un-
er the supervision of the state as Q
nit.
&. Source of Revenue for State High
,ay Improvements. If the state of
i~ontana is to 60 forward with the i'm
rovement of a system of state high
in fact, If county highways
re to be improved to the reasonable
required for purely local traf-
Ic-state revenue for construction
lust be made available. Regardless of