Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1922-06-26
ILLINOIS MAKES
GREAT STRIDES
ROAD BUILDING
Nearly Five, Thousand Miles
Of Highway Planned
Statement by Thomas RI.
Mcdonald.

state roads. At the end of 1921
approximately 1900 miles had been
| completed leaving $500 miles yet
to be constructed. At this point
wise auditor suddenly discovered
that even with the additional $o,-
! 600. 600 per year receipts from mo-
tor license fees, there was large
financial deficit, when the completed
| work YVES compared with the orig
inal schedule.
! The people voted for this highway
! system and the strike is committed
| to its completion, so someone will
have to do bit of expert figuring
| if the 1890 miles are to be COM
plcted according to the original
| plans.
| Who is to blame? No one. This
| hiatus has been brought about by
the change in economic conditions
alone. Here is exactly what has
| happened In 1916, when the bond
issue was approved by the voters
an IS foot concrete road cost $751;
900 to $4,000 per mile. In 1919,
1.-THE cost of the road of the same
/ width was from $4,000 to $4,000
per mile. In 1920 the cost of road
of that width was from $4,000 to
! $4,000 per mile. In 1921 con-
tracts were awarded for something
over 700 miles of pavement eighteen
| feet wide, at an average of approx
| mately $4,000 per mile. The cost
of fifty-eight miles of eighteen-foot
pavement awarded thus far in 1929
| has been at the rate of $4,000 per
I mile. 1t will thus be seen that the
difference in the cost of construc-
| ton as between 1915 and 1922 is
from $4,000 to $4,000 per mile.
| Wherein lies this difference in
costs and what is the cause? Sim
ply the wide variation III the chang
ing economic conditions.
From 1917 to 1920 prices of
highway construction followed the
upward trend of all building costs
and at the close Of that period were
| practically double the 1916 prices
In the latter part of 1920 more
efficient labor and at a lower COST
as we'll as cheaper materials, began
| to have their effect on construction
costs and have resulted in the prices
, for 1921 and 1922, as quoted above.
Another cause affecting cost of
pavement is the change in speci-
| fications under which concrete roads
| were constructed in 1916 called
at the side and seven inches at the
center, or an average of approximate
ly six ond one-half inches. The
specifications adopted in 1920 pro-
, in thickness throughout the entire
width. The 1921 specifications were
changed so as to require a pave
ment seven inches in thickness, but
with steel reinforcement, which
would bring the cost approximate
ly to the same rrice as an eight
inch concrete pavement. These
changes in specifications, together
brought about additional costs which
will account for at least fifty per
cent of the above increase in cost
of construction. The remaining fiji
follows In increased cost of freight,
not less than one-half Of the remain
der, or twenty-five per cent of the
total additional cost, leaving the re-
able against the increased cost of
materials Thus it will be seen that
this increase of from $4,000 to S10,-
600 per mile, comes from three
crease, due to change in specifica-
tons; that is, due to a thicker and
better pavement; twenty-five per
cent to increased freight charges.
freight charges, twenty-five per cent
to increased cost of materials,
Thomas II. Mcdonald, chief of the
bureau of public roads, United States
Department of Agriculture, has this
to say for the consideration of ey-
cry voter, taxpayer and legislator:
plan now the financing of high
ways for the future and place high
way transportation, which has come
to be an Indispensable part of our
national life, on a firm foundation
I'VE are starting ont to construct
a system of highways such as no
nation ever constructed before. The
nearest approach to it is found in
France and Germany, and the area
of neither is as large as Texas
This great undertaking is being en-
tered into because highways are not
luxury, but furnish real service,
have real earning capacity and
have become a national necessity.
For such an undertaking to be
successful. financing to care for
maintenance, reconstruction and new
construction should be planned for
a long period of years in advance