The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-06-27
MUCH PROGRESS MADE
} in HIGHWAY BUILDING

South Carolint has progressed re-
markably since 1917 when the state
highway department was created by
the legislature and just now the peo-
pie of the state are more insistent for
better roads than at any other time
in years. Bonds are being voted all
over the state for bridges and roads
and on every hand the work of the
highway department is being advo-
Gated.
Miles and miles or roads have been
built under the direction of the de-
partment and every point in the state
can be reached by automobile in a
short time over the present road sys-
tenn. The progress has been fine, but
the work Is just getting well under
way as the department has contracts
amounting to several million dollars
now being filled.
1t may be safely said that one OF
the major activities Of the state at
the present time is road and bridge
building. This activity, of course, is
direct result of an insistsnt public
demand for improved automobile
roads.
There are now some $4,000 regis
tered motor vehicles being operated
over the roads of the state, and it is a
surprising fact, according to the rec
ords of the highway department, that
in spite of the present depressed
financial situation, the number of reg
istrations for 1922 has shown an in
crease over the number for the same
period of 1921. This means that the
demand for improved roads will GER
tainly not be decreased, and the
amounts of money to be expended for
satisfying this demand Will probably
be greater hereafter than heretofore.
There is apparently no question but
that people want and are willing to
pay for good roads. The real questions
that the taxpayers want enlighten-
ment or relate to the progress being
made and the value received for the
money expended. In other words, are
the people getting good roads and are
they getting them economically?
With the idea in mind Of answer
ing these questions The State has
sought interviews with officials Of the
state highway department. and has
3 secured access to- considerable infor-
nation, from which the following
progress review and cost data have
been drawn:
Beginning of Work.
The state highway department was
organized in 1917 and began to func-
tion about the same time that war
with Germany was declared. During
the first two years of the depart
ment's existence, the principal work
accomplished was of an investiga-
tional nature, though surveys and
plans were made for a number of
roads and few construction projects
were started. With the close of the
war counties all over the state became
active in road building and by the end
of 1919 the road situation revealed q
definite plan for the completion of the
system of state highways that had
been projected by the state highway
commission.
At the close of 1919 nearly 100
miles of road had been completed un-
der the supervision of the state high
way department, while surveys had
been completed for more than 600
miles and contracts had been let for
nearly 200 miles. In addition to this
work, several counties were going
ahead constructing roads on the state
highway system so that on December
81, 1919, arrangements had been per-
fected for constructing nearly $50
miles Of the state highway system,
including the work already completed.
In 1920 the legislH ture reorganized
the highway department and made
provision for the department to main
tain all roads constructed on the state
system out Of the proceeds from the
motor vehicle license fees. A totai
of All miles were found to be con-
structed in accordance with the de-
partment standards, and that mileage
was placed under state maintenance
about the middle Of 1920. At that
time the only two county seats in the
state that were connected by an i'm
proved state highway were Greenville
and Pickens.
In less than two years time, since
state maintenance was first inaugu-
rated, the roads under maintenance
have increased from all miles to ap-
proximately 1900 miles and % OF
the AZ county seats have completed
connections with other county seats
Five additional county seats will be
afforded such connections with the
completion Of construction work nov
well under way. Furthermore, trav.
elers between points as remote from
each other as Bishopville and Wal
halla can make the entire journey by
auto without leaving an improved
state road, except in some ON thu