Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1922-11-24
WILL OPEN WAY FOR
PAVEMENT in TOWNS
PLAN TO SPEED CITY-V1ILAdI
STREET. WORK OFFERED BIZ
HIGHWAY CHIEF

Scores of MinnesotaAcities and vii
lagos may secure pavements for streets
on the state trunk highway system up
on adoption by the legislature of 1872;
| Of recommendations by the state high
way department.
Charles NJ. Babcock, state highway
commissioner, this week followed the
announcement Of financing plans with
that of other proposed laws and chang
es and these bills among others:
! For lights on all vehicles using tht
highways after dark.
For elimination Of the too common
"tax exempt tags on automobiles anc
trucks.
For stopping the traffic law enforce
ment to collect fees-to produce reve
nue. for speed cops and court officials.
For paving where necessary to stol
waste of funds in unsuccessful at
tempts to main gravel surfaclng or
heavy traffic sections of the trunk sys
tenn.
Public comments on the proposals as
announced and suggestions Tor more
needed highway regulations are invited
by the commissioner and should be ad'
dressed to the highway department.
1916 University avenue, st. Paul.
The plan to allow small cities and
villages to pave streets without sacrl'
ficing state help is briefly outlined
The towns are to pave the streets
designated as parts of the trunk
routes using state specifications and
! under state supervision. Then when
the improvement is reached on the
regular highway program, the cost OF
the 1S-foot strip which the state or
dinarily builds, will be refunded. The
town will have enjoyed the use Of the
Improvement in return for carrying the
interest on the fund used.
/ Lights on al1>vehicles Oh the roads
at night are<held necessary to public
safety and a law to that effect viii
be recommended. Highway officials
report that farmers agree that it is
important that wagons and buggles
carry lights at night as well as trucks
and automobiles, and their full support
is expected for reestablishment Of the
law to that end.
Contending that every motor vehicle
should shaxe the cost of highway i'm
provements, especially now that better
roads are saving car repairs, tires anc
gasoline, Commissioner Babcock will
try to eliminate the tax exemptions il
possible. For example, he said,
county employing an agent and fur
! nishing him a car can well afford to
pay toward improving roads-the IL
cense will take only money which 9th
erwise would go outside for repairs and
supplies for the machine. Incidentally
state highway officials using old wal
department cars have paid the taxes
;; on them from their own pockets.
"Speed Cops' working on commits
sions and justices unduly increasing
their fee receipts from traffic law
cases will find their incomes reduced if
the legislature acts favorably on
another proposal. Abuses of the kind
| referred to can be stopped without in
! terfering with sane enforcement OF
speed regulations, highway officials
declare, and at same time some locali
ties will enjoy better regulations
among highway travellers.
F.; When highway carries more than
! 1000 or 1900 vehicles day, grave!
surfacing is very expensive and unsat
isfactory at best, highway officials
said, offering proposals for removal OF
the 20 per cent fund limit on paving
| Pavemcnts on such sections will\ pay
their own way and better serve the
public, they add, and the change car
be safely made in view of the fair anG
wide distribution of improvements
thus far under Minnesota 8 new trunk
; highway DEVELOPMENT plan.