The Washington herald., 1922-01-29
ADVISORY BOARD
PREDICTS GREAT
HIGHWAY g ! PERIOD
Claims Over $780, 900, 900
For Roads Were Spent
During 1921.
ELECTS OFFICIALS
Vehicle Licenses Issued Last
Year in U. S. Total
s.. 9,750,000.
ELECTS OFFICIALS

Research on a huge scale to de-
termine how billions OF the national
wealth shall be applied to highway
transportation Is planned by en-
cheering societies. State and gov
eminent agencies and other organ
izations under the direction Of the
Advisory Board on Highway Re-
search. maintained by the Engineer
ing Foundation and the Division OF
Engineering of the National Re-
search Conncil.
Announcement Of plans and re-
suits achieved in the highway work
were announced yesterday by the
Engineering Foundation following
a meeting of the board attended
here by highway experts from every
section of the country. W. X. Watt.
OF Washington. a former professor
of Purdue University, was re-
elected director of the board. An
son Marston. dean OF engineering of
Iowa State College, was chosen
chairman. and A. d. Finn. of New
York, vice chairman. Prof. Comfort
A Adams, of Harvard. Henry NJ.
Crane. Of New York, and Thomas
II. Macdonald, chief of the u. s.
Bureau of Public Roads, were
elected to the executive committee.
Economics has transcribed all
other problems of highway trans
portation, II was stated in an an
nouncement issued by the Engineer
ing Foundation. Organization Of
the transportation agencies of the
country so that each may preserve
its proper economic relation to the
others was described as the central
need. -
Since aslimited amount of the ma
tionar wealth Is available for trans
portation." said the statement OF
the foundation. what Is spent on
highway transportation beyond the
economic necessity will diminish
the amounts that should be applied
TO other agencies of transportation
such as railways and electric lines.
The data upon which the solu-
tion of this problem may be pre-
dicted are largely wanting. Such
data result from traffic surveys, and
analysis of data of costs that arise
from the road and from the vehicle.
II is in this economic field that the
greatest opportunity lies for useful
and fruitful research. Scientific
correlation of transportation agen-
l.
Figures showing enormous de-
velopment of highway Transports
ton, results of surveys showing
progress in determining the proper
relation Of revenue to cost, and
suggesting that the plea of farming
communities and other property
holders for diminished road taxes
might be met IL those who used the
roads were asked TO pay for them
were made public. Importance of
traffic was stressed as a chief fac
tor in devising a colossal scheme of
financing
During 1921 $500, ooo, 900 was
spent on highways In the United
States for state, county and other
roads outside of cities, IL was
stated. OF this sum, $4,000 600
went for construction and $3.50. 900
900 for maintenance.
The number OF vehicle licenses
last year was given as 9,750,00o. 'If
the cost of the road Is divided nv
the number of vehicle licenses n
was stated. ut appears that thu
total road expenditures for a
licensed car are as follows: Spent
on maintsnance per license, $3.50.
total exWnditures per car license,
Sbl.bO.
Discussing revenue, the statement
estimated that s11S.O0O. 900 was maid
for vehicle licenses in this country
In 1921, and approximately $40 :
100000 Of excise taxes, making n
total of s23s,o00.0o0. The revenue
per car for license fees was an
proximately $40 a year and this
added to the excise tax makes the
total revenue Of the car about sle.