The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1922-01-18
Unite Forces to
Get Road Results
STATE COMMISSIONER RECON-
MENDS CLOSER COOPERATION
BETWEEN AUTHORITIES.

Nearly twice as much money avail
able now for improvement of county
and town roads as is provided regu-
larly for use on the trunk highways
in Minnesota, Charles M. Babcock,
state highway commissioner. this
week urged early good roads conven-
ton in all counties of the state at
which county commissioners, town
supervisors and the county highway
engineers can agree on definite pro-
gram of cooperation to get the big
gest possible results for county-town
road expenditures.
LILAC qui Parle county can secure
complete system of good local roads
in the shortest time and with least
expense" said Mr.. Babcock, 'by
adopting a definite plan of system
attic improvement covering several
years and then pooling town with
county funds to carry it out under
modern bodybuilding methods, with
the right equipment and so forth.
Funds for local road purposes-ex-
elusive of trunk highways---in Lac
uui Parle county last year exceeded
S185,000 and the Importance of
prompt action is obvious. Renville,
Carlton and some other counties al
ready are working with success in
this direction but | believe that good
roads conventions in these counties
will accomplish much as in all coun-
ties. The plan will end patchwork
road development and the public will
gain in every way.
ties and the engineers can consider
at these meetings the needs on every
county and town road and make pro-
vision for them in the longer term
program. Township lines should be
ignored, Just as the state disregards
county lines on trunk route plans.
Counties will assist the towns as the
state department advises and works
with the counties on state aid and
other important undertakings. The
town funds may be pooled with those
of the county and used under the
direction of the engineer. Heavier
machinery and better methods can be
employed generally to get bigger re-
suits at less cost, and farmers can
be given more jobs than in the past.
public road officials are all work
ing to get the best results now, and,
I am confident, will cooperate to
adopt the new plan and make it yield
maximum results. The fault has been
with the old-time methods, not with
the efforts of our present local road
work in Minnesota.
Current funds last year in Mime
sofa totalled 18,79O,O00 for local
roads and $8,690,O0 for state trunk
highways, Mr.. Mullen said, and the
greater local funds prove that the
so-called Babcock plan is mainly a
farmers road plan.
Taxes brought S10,843,682 Of
county and $6,S62,560 of township
funds and S2,084,OOO of state aid for
local road purposes, besides 81, 308,-
794 of city and village street and
road funds outside of St. Paul, Mime
apolis and Duluth.
Regular state trunk funds were
made up of s57,750,000 of motor
vehicle taxes and $2,84O,o0O of fed
eral aid. Considerable bond money
was used last. year, but laws under
which it was voted are no longer in
effect, and if included the trunk fund
total still would be smaller than that
available for the local roads. The
local road mileage is the greater, it
was explained, but that is fairly Off
set by the higher cost of improve
ments and maintenance necessary on
the trunk system.
With the liberal funds provided,
Mr.. Mullen added, county engineers
will carry out the programs agreed
upon by county commissioners and