The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-11-24
OF STREET !
LIGHT UP VEHICLE
Scheme For Financing Road
Program--l923-l924
PLANS TO THE S0LONS
Commissioner G. M. Babcock,
Highway Commissioner, Pro
poses His Scheme

Plans for financing the state
highway program during 1923 and
1924 already made public, Charles
M. Babcock highway commissioner,
this week announced other recon-
mendations to be presented by the
highway department TO the state
Legislature early in January.
Under the policy o. promoting
public CO. operation in the good
roads plan, the commission invited
comments on the proposals and
added suggestions for new laws and
changes IN Inc old on IS. They
should nc, se:it &c the highway de-
rartment -24e University avenue,
st. Pol" livery, one will receive
due cons. don. Mr.. DSbcock SAID,
but to acm-- ,>9lcdSe all may prove
too big al undertaking.
Speed Town Street Paving
A new law vii, he asked 20 ne~-
NIT cities and villages which are
willing to pay the interest OF the
Investment until such tiu.e as the
improvement. is reached -. the reg
ular state program, to streets
on the trunk highway Il with
in their limits. Many Is now
are putting OF pawn. l. tie Stale
is ready to pave its 10 toet strip
on their streets. Commissioner Bah
cock wants the road Plan 70 prs
mote instead of h:nde.irg improve
inents aud believes he new. legis
iation is only fair tc progressive
towns. -,g
Paving TO Stop Waste
The present limit on expenditures
for paving-2G per cent of the state
highway construction furd--wiil he
taken off. il the highway depart
ment 'recommen tiaLion prevails in
the legislation Paving is and will
be built only where it is, necessary
TO stop waste of money Tor gravel
on heavy traffic sections, highway
officials assert.
i Pave Town Streets
Where more than LOCO vehicles
"a day use a road and the mainten
ance cost runs over 800 mile each
year, they add, the economical and
most satisfactory way is to pave the
sections. -
Lights For All Vehicles
Wagons and buggieS, as well as
trucks and automobiles, must carry
lights when on the highways after
dark, upon passage of another law
proposed for common pubic wei
fare. Commissioner Rahcock said a
regulation of that kind lis favored
unanimously by many farmers with
whom he has discussed The pro-
posal Those farmers believe that.
the repeal vi the law d few years
ago was a mistake and for that fea~
SON they are expected to- give their
full support to its reenactment.
Too Many. Exempt" Cars
Claiming that road .betterments
already are reducing repair. gasoline
and tire expenses for car owners
and for that reason that all cars
should bear reasonable share OF
the cost of highway improvements.
Commissioner Babcock will ask that
the tax exempt" tags be abolished
Every motor vehicle should pay its
way on the better roads in return
for the savings afforded its owner,
according to state highway officials
the regular tags At personal expense
for state owned cars they use in
their work.
Slow Up Speed Cops
Commissions for motorcyclemen
policing the highways and fees for
local justices will become largely
things of the past through adoption
of another proposal by the highway
to the legislature. The
plan is to take away The incentives
under which some local officials
have been making easy money at
the expense of the regulations of
their communities among tourists
and other highway users. The
change is for the benefit of sane
drivers, however, and in no way to
encourage speeding or other traffic
law violations.